UAE suffered a narrow 26-20 loss to Germany, in red, during a Test match at The Sevens in November. Pawan Singh / The National
UAE suffered a narrow 26-20 loss to Germany, in red, during a Test match at The Sevens in November. Pawan Singh / The National
UAE suffered a narrow 26-20 loss to Germany, in red, during a Test match at The Sevens in November. Pawan Singh / The National
UAE suffered a narrow 26-20 loss to Germany, in red, during a Test match at The Sevens in November. Pawan Singh / The National

2024 year in review: UAE can turn Rugby World Cup qualification dream into reality after inspirational run


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

The idea of the UAE qualifying for a Rugby World Cup once seemed far-fetched, even fanciful. Then, over the course of nine months, two things happened to make it seem just about possible – and in the near future, too.

First, World Rugby ratified the decision to expand the next World Cup, in Australia in 2027, from 20 to 24 teams. It meant an automatic qualification place for an extra Asian team at that event, in addition to Japan whose place in Australia was already assured.

Still, the effects of that low-key announcement in October 2023 did not have obvious immediate relevance to the game in the Emirates. The national team had only just bounced back to the top-flight of the Asian game, and were still seemingly far off the pace set by the top sides on the continent.

Then, in the heat of the summer in the desert, the national team made everyone else sit up and take note, by claiming their finest result to date - a first ever win over South Korea. When they subsequently beat Malaysia, again in the sweltering heat of June in Dubai, it gave them the runners-up berth in the Asia Rugby Championship for the first time.

  • UAE players celebrate a try by scrum-half Andrew Semple (No 9) in their 36-32 win over South Korea in the Asian Rugby Championship at The Sevens Stadium, Dubai. All photos: Jon Ebbitt
    UAE players celebrate a try by scrum-half Andrew Semple (No 9) in their 36-32 win over South Korea in the Asian Rugby Championship at The Sevens Stadium, Dubai. All photos: Jon Ebbitt
  • Matt Mills, the UAE captain, is hoping the national team can repeat their historic success against South Korea when they face Malaysia on Friday, June 21, 2024.
    Matt Mills, the UAE captain, is hoping the national team can repeat their historic success against South Korea when they face Malaysia on Friday, June 21, 2024.
  • Moeneeb Galant dives over to score a try for the UAE in the win against South Korea at the Sevens Stadium.
    Moeneeb Galant dives over to score a try for the UAE in the win against South Korea at the Sevens Stadium.
  • Jaen Botes breaks a tackle as UAE attack against South Korea.
    Jaen Botes breaks a tackle as UAE attack against South Korea.
  • The UAE defence thwarts a South Korean attack.
    The UAE defence thwarts a South Korean attack.
  • Apollo Perelini, centre, oversaw the finest win of his long spell as UAE coach when they beat South Korea.
    Apollo Perelini, centre, oversaw the finest win of his long spell as UAE coach when they beat South Korea.

A repeat of that in 2025 would not give them a place at the World Cup. It would, though, be good enough for them to participate at the repechage play-off, against sides from other continents, in a competition that carries with it the final qualifying place.

Their ambitions remain undimmed. They will host Hong Kong, who have been the best side in Asia – outside of Japan – for years now. They will again hope to use the soaring temperature of summer in Dubai as a weapon for them in that fixture.

Unlike in 2024, though, they will cede home advantage for the potentially pivotal game against South Korea. By which point, there could well be an extra spring in the step of the Koreans.

That unprecedented loss to the national team in the summer has already seemingly stung South Korea. They were much improved later in the year against a Zimbabwe side who put UAE to the sword in a friendly match in Dubai in November.

But there is a bigger reason to think the UAE might be met by the full force of a new South Korea next summer – and it involves Netflix.

The streaming service this month aired the first show of a new Korean series called Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die. It replicates reality shows which have already proved highly popular there, and involves rugby-related challenges, including scrum and kicking battles.

The show will also include a knockout competition to decide the country’s best rugby team.

If the show does deliver on its stated intention of inspiring people to follow and take up rugby, the stands might swell for the UAE’s visit in the ARC.

Emirati rugby player Mohammed Ali is part of the UAE Shaheen team. Antonie Robertson/The National
Emirati rugby player Mohammed Ali is part of the UAE Shaheen team. Antonie Robertson/The National

The fact the national team are even considering such lofty aims is a marker of the advance the game has made in the country over the past 12 months.

That is not confined to the traditional rugby-loving expatriate community. The UAE Rugby Federation’s development programme for the indigenous population also showed its clearest evidence of progress this year.

At the Dubai Sevens on the National Day weekend, the UAE Shaheen side inscribed their name on the Gulf Men’s League trophy for the first time.

There were seven good reasons why it was predictable Shaheen might make a success of their debut in that tournament. After all, their 12-player squad did have seven outstanding Fijian players in it – each of whom ranks among the leading players in the abridged format in the country.

Of greater significance was the fact the squad included five Emiratis. The winning try in the rout of Pegler Dragons in the final was scored by Mohammed Hatem, who only took up rugby as he thought it neatly married his twin favourite pursuits of football and wrestling.

On the same weekend, Al Maha, the pioneering side of Emirati females, showed more evidence of their increased competitiveness. They won two of their four matches in a Gulf Women’s tournament that also involved an all-Saudi side for the first time.

  • Saudi Tuwaiq are the first all-Saudi women's rugby team and took part in last week's Emirates Dubai Sevens tournament. All photos courtesy of Laith Marzouq, Saudi Arabia Rugby Federation
    Saudi Tuwaiq are the first all-Saudi women's rugby team and took part in last week's Emirates Dubai Sevens tournament. All photos courtesy of Laith Marzouq, Saudi Arabia Rugby Federation
  • Saudi Tuwaiq in action against AUC Rugby in their final pool match at the Emirates Dubai Sevens.
    Saudi Tuwaiq in action against AUC Rugby in their final pool match at the Emirates Dubai Sevens.
  • Players from the Saudi Tuwaiq side listen in to a pre-game pep talk.
    Players from the Saudi Tuwaiq side listen in to a pre-game pep talk.
  • Saudi Tuwaiq retain possession at a ruck against AUC Rugby.
    Saudi Tuwaiq retain possession at a ruck against AUC Rugby.
  • Saudi Tuwaiq players listen to coach Meriem Mekni's team talk.
    Saudi Tuwaiq players listen to coach Meriem Mekni's team talk.
  • Captain Ameera Marghalani says she loves the solidarity between the players that rugby fosters.
    Captain Ameera Marghalani says she loves the solidarity between the players that rugby fosters.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

The specs

Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric

Transmission: n/a

Power: 402bhp

Torque: 659Nm

Price estimate: Dh200,000

On sale: Q3 2022 

MATCH INFO

League Cup, last 16

Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS

AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas

DevisionX – manufacturing

Event Gates – security and manufacturing

Farmdar – agriculture

Farmin – smart cities

Greener Crop – agriculture

Ipera.ai – space digitisation

Lune Technologies – fibre-optics

Monak – delivery

NutzenTech – environment

Nybl – machine learning

Occicor – shelf management

Olymon Solutions – smart automation

Pivony – user-generated data

PowerDev – energy big data

Sav – finance

Searover – renewables

Swftbox – delivery

Trade Capital Partners – FinTech

Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment

Workfam – employee engagement

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh12 million

Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16

Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto

Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm

Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds

Top speed 420 kph (governed)

Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

As it stands in Pool A

1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14

2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11

3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5

Remaining fixtures

Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am

Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm

Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

Company%20profile
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UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
OIL PLEDGE

At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.

What is tokenisation?

Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets. 

No.6 Collaborations Project

Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)

Tu%20Jhoothi%20Main%20Makkaar%20
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Company%C2%A0profile
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
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Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

Arctic Monkeys

Tranquillity Base Hotel Casino (Domino) 

 

Army of the Dead

Director: Zack Snyder

Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera

Three stars

Company%20profile
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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice. 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.

 

A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars

THE SPECS

Engine: 4.4-litre V8

Transmission: Automatic

Power: 530bhp 

Torque: 750Nm 

Price: Dh535,000

On sale: Now

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

 

 

Updated: December 16, 2024, 8:00 AM