The pioneering Dubai College girls’ team are aiming to put UAE rugby on the map when they play at the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens in London for the first time this week.
The side from the Al Sufouh-based school will play in the Under 18 section of the tournament, which is said to be the largest schools rugby tournament in the world.
Initially a tournament played between British public schools, Rosslyn Park Sevens now involves nearly 10,000 boys and girls, from schools in countries as diverse as China, India, Nigeria and Poland.
There are 48 teams in Dubai College’s competition, with DC and a school from Belgium the only ones from beyond the British Isles. It is the first time a girls side from UAE has played in the event.
“The boys in our age group have gone to play there before, but we didn’t even know there was a girls’ tournament,” Megan Theocharis, DC’s captain and one of five UAE national team representatives in the team, said.
“We saw some photos of girls playing. In September, our coach decided we have a good team this year, so looked in to entering [the tournament].
“We just want to go out and smash it. We have a really strong team this year. We want to go out and test the other teams, who probably think we’re just this school from Dubai.”
The side will depart for London on Tuesday. They have a friendly fixture planned for Wednesday, before the main competition takes place on Friday.
DC only played their first full-contact girls’ tournament earlier in the school year. They acknowledge they are unable to benchmark themselves against their prospective opponents as yet, but are confident of making a mark.
“This is my first time knowing about it, but I am so excited to play,” said Femke Soens, another of the DC players.
“It is our first time as UAE girls. We are going as DC, but are also representing the UAE. I am really excited for the chance to show them we are actually worthy of playing there.
“I’m excited to prove this is something we are capable of as a whole nation.”
According to Epeli Davetawalu, the team’s coach, the side are intent on setting an example for the successors at school to follow.
“The school and the rugby coaches wanted to do what we could do take girls rugby to the next level, and that was to expose them to big competitions,” Davetawalu said.
“They love the sport. It builds character through teamwork, and that is what they are doing at the moment.
“We always tell these girls, ‘You are the ones who set the standards for the ones who are following’. They want to create a legacy and that is why we are grateful to have this trip.
“The standard of rugby in the UK is more developed than here in the UAE. This is a good chance to go and see what level we are in the UAE, and see where we need to go and move up.
“We are going there with a purpose, and to give our best. Wins will come if you give your best.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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.”
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
