Historic victory for JESS at Rosslyn Park Sevens puts UAE girls’ rugby on the map

Dubai team claim U14 title at world's biggest schools tournament, with neighbours DESC also reaching the semi-finals

Grace White makes a break for JESS at the Rosslyn Park Sevens. Photo: Peter Hall

The historic success of Jumeirah English Speaking School girls at the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens this week was “huge for sport in the UAE in general”, according to the side’s coach.

The London-based festival, which has been running since 1937, is said to be the largest schools rugby event in the world. There were 1,203 teams involved this week.

JESS became the first international winners in the Under-14 Girls tournament when they beat Oakham School in the final. On route to the title, they beat Dubai English Speaking College in the semi-final.

Bradley Janes, the lead girls rugby coach at JESS, was already well aware of the esteem in which Rosslyn Park is held, having played in the tournament himself in the past.

He said his side did not know what would constitute success ahead of the trip to London, but that they had been quietly confident.

“We see this as a big win, not just for JESS – and of course, it’s huge – but for sport in the UAE in general,” he said. “It shows that we are competing at the top in the world, now.

“I had high aspirations with the team we brought as they are such great players, but to go and actually do it, we are so proud of them.

“They have been working so hard in the lead up to the tournament, before school, with early mornings all through the week.

“Not knowing too much about the competition we just focused on what we could do and working as hard as we possibly can. That has paid off.”

Female sides from the UAE only started competing at Rosslyn Park in 2022 when the Dubai College U18s sent a team.

Within two years, the city has had two girls’ teams reaching the last four of a tournament.

JESS scored 230 points and conceded just 24, with Hind Salam being named player of the tournament.

The identity of their opposition in the final is evidence of the high standard at which they are competing. Oakham counts among its former pupils the former England men's captain Lewis Moody, ex-British & Irish Lion Tom Croft and current Scotland player Hamish Watson.

“Back home we have good competition, and with Dubai College and DESC, we are all pushing each other constantly to get better,” Janes added.

“Coming here you get a perspective of where you are outside of that Dubai bubble. Hearing all those big-name schools, the girls could easily have gone into their shells.

“They did the complete opposite, and performed so well. They stepped up amazingly.”

Charlotte Battiston, the JESS captain, said the side had adapted well to conditions which are entirely alien to them. The weather in London this week has been cloudy, with temperatures topping out in the low mid-teens.

“We felt like we had a good chance of getting through but we never expected to win through that far,” Battiston said.

“The competition is completely different to Dubai and it has been really cool playing in another country.

“In Dubai the ground is always dry and the air is warm, but here it is so much colder. We pushed through it. Our team are all just best mates and it is such a good environment to play in.”

Along with a number of her JESS teammates, Battiston was up against some of her Dubai Hurricanes club colleagues when they faced DESC in the semi-final.

She said they were grateful to them for staying around to support them in the final.

“We were confident going into the game but expected nothing,” she said of the 29-5 win in the last four.

“We went in thinking it was any other game against any other school. It was great that they came back to support us. They are also our friends from outside school, so it was nice to have them.”

Janes hopes the success in London will inspire even more girls to take up rugby.

“As soon as people start seeing what is possible and think, ‘Oh, I actually can do that,’ participation increases,” he said.

“With that, competition increases and competition breeds success. I guess that is the story here at JESS.

“It is great that we have so many numbers playing. Hopefully this is just the start, and more and more kids will take up rugby. This big win will hopefully inspire them to do that.”