Dubai-based rugby union clubs in push to reach the gain line

Dubai's leading rugby clubs say they can foresee a day when the game here turns semi-professional, although each admit there is little value in paying players just yet.

Though the game is amateur in the sense that no players earn an income from the game, some clubs do employ paid staff.

Dubai Exiles, the oldest and largest club in terms of playing members, have one full-time and one part-time administrator to oversee the running over the club, for example.

"They play an absolutely critical role and it is a lot of work," said Mike Wolff, the club's chairman, said.

"It is pitch bookings, all the banking business we need to undertake, organising and monitoring kit and stock, as well as dealing with any issues club members might come up with.

"We have 750 playing members. That equals about 2,000 or 3,000 people who have therefore got some sort of involvement with the club.

"We have had people fulfilling roles in the administration of the club for a number of years. We could not survive without them."

Despite underachieving at first-team level in recent seasons, by the standards of their glorious past, the Exiles remain a club in good health thanks to their vast junior set up.

As with most clubs, they rely on three main income streams to offset the substantial costs involved in running sports teams in the UAE.

They aim to make up to 40 per cent of their income on membership subscriptions per year, as well as a similar amount on corporate sponsorship - whether that be cash or services. The sum is topped off by commercial activities, such as selling club merchandise or organising fund-raising events.

The Exiles also have a fourth revenue stream that is unique to them amongst clubs in the region.

The club were granted a multi-million dirham lump sum by the Dubai Municipality after they were evicted when their old ground in Al Awir was bulldozed. Wolff believes that some clubs here already offer assistance with expenses and playing incidentals to leading players, and says it is within the means of his club to do the same.

However, even though he has discussed the idea of it with the club's first-team coach, Jan Venter, offering inducements to players still remains just an idea at present.

"We could employ players if we wanted to, but I don't think it is appropriate at this stage," Wolff said.

"I don't have a problem with it. I think that if rugby is to develop within the UAE, there needs to be greater incentives available.

"What they are going to look like, I don't know. I don't have a problem for helping out the right people in the right cases."

Dubai Hurricanes, the Exiles' fellow tenants at The Sevens - which is owned by their sponsor, Emirates Airline - also have a paid administrator to look after a club that numbers around 700 juniors and 120 registered senior members.

They even have their own branded Post-it notes. Not bad for a club whose - highly successful - first XV still try to make out like they are winging it most of the time.

"Financially, I don't think we would be able to [pay players] at the moment," said Chris Gregory, the long-serving club captain at the Hurricanes.

The Jebel Ali Dragons, the champions, are likely to have the heaviest artillery when it comes to playing personnel at the start of next season.

That is due mainly to a robust recruitment strategy amongst the first team's senior players over the past two seasons.

Although none of their players is paid, Oliver Reynolds, the club captain, says they would have to consider the possibility if other clubs set that precedent.

"If there was a pot of gold for the end of each season for the trophy winners, the dynamic would change very, very quickly," Reynolds said.

"I'm kind of glad there isn't because it is an amateur set up. If that changed, maybe one or two clubs might pour lots of money in and walk away with it.

"One club might take the step to do that, then others will be forced to follow.

"If the Dragons didn't have a good structure internally, we could find ourselves out of our depth very quickly."

pradley@thenational.ae

@SprtNationalUAE

Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk

“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”

“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”

“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”

“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.

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