When the new coach of Dubai Hurricanes was invited, for one week only, to be part of Eddie Jones’ England staff, he knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime. And a challenging one, too.
Jones is notoriously demanding, sleep averse, and often spiky, but also one of the most fertile minds the sport has known.
It is no surprise Rocky Truter has returned to the UAE loaded with ideas to help lift Hurricanes back towards the top of West Asia rugby.
The South African was part of England’s coaching team leading up to the unofficial Test against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday.
His brief included taking full part in coaching meetings, assessing training sessions, and assisting with strategy, including on game day.
He mixed with the great and greater of rugby. On his phone, he now has good luck messages for the Hurricanes ahead of the new season from each of Marcus Smith, Jonny Wilkinson, and Jones himself.
Will Carling, the former England captain, was in camp providing masterclasses on leadership.
Even Steve Hansen, the World Cup-winning former New Zealand coach, made a guest appearance, having travelled to the UK to see his racehorse compete at Ascot.
Truter said he was a long way out of his comfort zone – and grateful for it.
“Eddie would pick our brains and put us on the spot inside team meetings,” Truter said.
“I arrived a day late, went straight into the training session. As we were walking away from the session, we had a meeting and immediately he put me on the spot, asking what I thought about the session and how I would improve it.
“All the coaches are sitting there, waiting for your feedback, and it is hard. I didn’t know the terminology they were using.
“I had to look at the training session, write things down, and see if I could make out what they were doing.
“Eddie is a very sharp, funny guy, but also strict in how he runs it. I could feel the tension among the coaches inside the team meetings, but every so often he would break that.
“It was fun to see how he controlled the temperature of the whole show.”
Truter’s late arrival was due to a delay in the processing of his visa. He only secured it with hours to go till his rescheduled flight, and he was grateful to Hurricanes’ sponsors, Emirates, for helping him out.
“I was panicked," he said. "Since Eddie sent me the invite, I prepared. I looked into specific players that might be in the selection. I got that wrong.
“You prepare all of this, knowing you have this one shot to be in the world’s best environment. Emirates were so flexible in helping me get there.”
There are some notable contrasts between Truter’s week-long temporary role and his new permanent one in Dubai.
England are, after all, the best-resourced side in international rugby, while the Hurricanes are an amateur club in a country that remains a long way from rugby’s mainstream.
Truter is certain he will be able to implement plenty of what he learnt in the UK when he starts as Hurricanes’ new coach, though.
“I was there specifically to look at how to set up a club,” Truter said.
“For me coming in at the Hurricanes now, I don’t know the history, I don’t know the culture. We have expats coming in and out who, every few years, get new jobs. Sometimes players can’t play on weekends because they have work commitments.
“How do you put it all together? It is important to change the mindset and make sure we coach them professionally.
“We can’t say, ‘Oh, it is just an amateur game. People love it, they pay their subs, then play and have to have fun.’
“We need to be as professional as we can be, even if it is going to extremes.”
Truter has every day of the forthcoming season planned out, on a schedule which Jones and Hansen helped him fine tune.
Hurricanes training sessions will be on video, with feedback sent to the players with footage to illustrate the points. He plans to use GPS tracking, too.
He also has plans beyond the training field, too. His ideas are in the spirit of some of those which Jones applies with England.
The Australian coach sends some of his players for acting lessons. For those whose partners are expecting a baby, he will ensure they have culinary classes with a chef, to make sure they can cook for themselves and their family.
Truter’s idea - which was admittedly hatched before his trip to the UK – is for “Mums Off Tuesdays”.
It will allow dads to bring their children to the Hurricanes’ club rooms, have them looked after and entertained, giving mothers the evening to themselves.
“We want them to feel the Hurricanes are supporting their husbands at training, and them, too,” Truter said.
“That is the two per cent of difference I’d like to bring into the club. We want everyone feeling like they are involved and that they don’t want to miss this.
“Obviously we want them to be a better player by the end of the year, but we also want them to be a better player after every session.”
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Results
2pm Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,800m
Winner AF Al Baher, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner Davy Lamp, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner Ode To Autumn, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner Arch Gold, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
4.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,800m
Winner Meqdam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
5pm Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner Native Appeal, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Amani Pico, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Top 10 in the F1 drivers' standings
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 202 points
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 188
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 169
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 117
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 116
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 67
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 56
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 45
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 35
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 26
