Dubai Exiles hope to celebrate 50 years by laying down roots at The Sevens

Dubai Exiles, in black, and Muscat tussle for ball during the West Asia Championship, first round match yesterday at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai. Ravindranath K / The National

Dubai Exiles hope to celebrate their 50th anniversary this year by moving into their own facility at The Sevens.

The city’s oldest club have signed a 20-year deal to lease half of the top floor of the existing Player’s Pavilion at the rugby ground on the Dubai to Al Ain Road.

The 700-square metre space is currently open air, and used only for occasional events rather than a permanent purpose.

The Exiles are in final discussions with Dubai Municipality over a plan to convert half the floor, on the car park side of the building, for their own club rooms.

The blueprints include a shop selling club merchandise, as well as relocating the Exiles office, which is currently on the ground floor.

The main feature of the plan, though, is for an “urban chic” style restaurant, which can seat 60 in a dining area on a mezzanine level above a bar.

“This is all part of helping our club have a fixed identity,” Mike Wolff, the Exiles chairman, said.

“Having fantastic club rooms, on top of what is already a world-class playing facility, will help us attract members, retain members and make people realise the club is a good place to be.”

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The Exiles will fund the development of the new structure, with finances left over from when the club’s former home in Al Awir was taken over for construction of the Meydan project in 2007.

By the time the contract on the new clubhouse will be due for renewal, the Exiles will be 70 years old.

Such long-term planning is rare in the domestic game, with many teams permanently on the look out for new pitches, to find the most affordable way to sustain their clubs.

Even Abu Dhabi Harlequins, who are perhaps the largest club in the country at present, are making plans for life away from their current home, at Zayed Sports City. They, too, are hoping to find a home for the next 20 years.

“Big clubs like ourselves, Quins and Dubai Hurricanes are lucky, because the membership gives them the revenue to be able to position ourselves in a good location,” Wolff said. “For smaller clubs that is a real challenge.”

The announcement of the development plans coincides with the Exiles first XV enjoying their finest run of form on the field for years.

At the halfway point of the UAE Premiership, they are second, trailing leaders Abu Dhabi Harlequins on points difference.

Then they started their West Asia Championship campaign in the most eye-catching fashion possible on Friday, by thrashing Muscat 144-5.

Some key figures from the side will be missing, though, when they travel to Bahrain on Friday for their only trip overseas in the cross-border competition.

Bahrain are renowned for being an imposing proposition on home soil, and they underlined their credentials by winning their opener against Abu Dhabi Saracens in the capital last weekend.

Abu Dhabi Saracens coach says Doha match has a local derby feel

Steve Hamilton, the Abu Dhabi Saracens coach, says Friday’s West Asia Championship meeting with Doha has the feel of a local derby.

As the side from the capital have established themselves as a genuine force in Arabian Gulf rugby over the past two seasons, these teams have become regular rivals.

The two clubs represented the Gulf in the first West Asia Champions League ahead of this season. The Qatar-based side became the first winners of that tournament.

Saracens are the current holders of the cross-border title after their shock win in the Gulf Top Six last season.

“In my short time with Saracens it has been so refreshing that, as a club, we have not just been looking to be competitive where we can,” Hamilton, who also plays in the Saracens backline, said.

“We have taken that step up from thinking, ‘Can we compete with the likes of Harlequins and Dragons?’

“Now we have a rivalry with clubs from further afield who have a big reputation, and we have seen ourselves on a level playing field, and even coming ahead a couple of times.

“It feels more like a derby match, and that brings new challenges with it.”

Doha return to the UAE on the back of a successful trip to Al Ain last weekend, while Saracens will be looking to avenge an opening day defeat to Bahrain at Al Ghazal.

“We were expecting a very physical game and knew their forwards would be strong,” the coach said.

“When we played away in Bahrain last year they had a very good pack. Our front row said that was the strongest scrum they faced throughout the season.

“We were expecting a tight game, but we do feel we let ourselves down in a lot of areas.”

At a glance

West Asia Championship

Results

• Al Ain Amblers 33-65 Doha

• Dubai Exiles 144-5 Muscat

• AD Saracens 12-13 Bahrain

Fixtures Friday

• Abu Dhabi Saracens v Doha

•• Dubai Hurricanes v Muscat

•• Jebel Ali Dragons v Al Ain Amblers

•• Dubai Exiles v Bahrain

UAE Conference

Fixtures

• Arabian Knights v Dubai Hurricanes II

• Dubai Sharks v Jebel Ali Dragons II

• Heartbeat Tigers v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II

• Sharjah Wanderers v Al Ain Amblers II

• Dubai Wasps v Abu Dhabi Saracens II

Table

W L D Pts

1 AD Harlequins II 7 0 0 34 2 Sh. Wanderers 6 0 1 31

3 D. Hurricanes II 6 0 2 29 4 Dubai Exiles II 0 6 X 27

5 Dubai Sharks 4 0 3 19 6 JA Dragons II 3 0 4 18

UAE Community League

Table

W L D Pts

1 JA Dragons III 4 0 0 20 2 Beaver Nomads 4 0 0 19

3 Arabian Knights II 3 0 1 15 4 Dubai Sharks II 2 0 3 10

5 Al Ain Amblers III 2 0 1 9 6 AD Harlequins III 3 0 1 9

Fixtures

• Arabian Knights II v Dubai Hurricanes III

• Dubai Sharks II v Jebel Ali Dragons III

• Beaver Nomads v Abu Dhabi Harlequins III

• The Rocks v Al Ain Amblers III

• Dubai Sharks II v UAE Shaheen