DUBAI // James Love did his best to repay the Arabian Gulf's investment in him as he touched down three tries in their two defeats yesterday.
The weekend was a disappointing one for the Gulf, who lost all five of their matches, but it was one that Love will not forget.
The union had flown the 22-year-old winger, along with fellow UK-based student Jonny MacDonald, back for regular training sessions in the build-up to the tournament.
Having been born and brought up in Bahrain, it would be fair to predict Love is a Dubai Rugby Sevens regular, but not so.
"My parents always used to come over but I was never invited, plus I was away at boarding school for most of the time," said Love, whose father Andrew, the president of Bahrain RFC, was in the crowd again this weekend.
"You can't ask for any more than to play with the best. We were more structured [on day two] and when we had the ball in hand we showed we could do some damage.
"It was incredible [to score in front of the packed stands]. There is nearly no one who is not supporting you out there. It was the highlight of my career so far."
The Gulf had their best display against Zimbabwe, but tries from Love, Stephen Cooper and MacDonald could not prevent a 28-19 loss. They then lost their shield semi-final 26-12 to Russia, despite a brace from Love.
The coach, Shane Thornton, pointed to a lack of quality competition in the build up to explain his side's struggles.
Last year the side played preparatory tournaments in Sri Lanka, Singapore and South Africa, while this time they had to be content with a club competition in Al Ain.
"Coming into this tournament having only played against local club sides has been a bit of a downfall for us," said Thornton. "We have to play more matches at this level of competition to get up to the standard of international players."
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
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Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
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Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
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Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The five pillars of Islam
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
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Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
