Just give them the Emirates Invitational Trophy to keep forever. Or rename the Emirates Dubai Sevens "The Blitzboks Invitational".
Because, to be fair to them, they do let other people have ago. At least until it gets serious, at which point they switch on the after-burners and leave everyone in their wake.
South Africa won the World Sevens Series title in Dubai on Saturday night. Of course, they did. It was the fourth time in a row they have won the Middle East’s rugby festival, and the seventh time in nine years.
The last game, against first-time Dubai finalists Ireland, was more or less over before it had even begun.
Shilton van Wyk scored with the first play of the game. He added a second four minutes later, and by half-time, the champions were 21-0 up, with captain Siviwe Soyizwapi claiming an intercept score.
Ireland threatened to stir after the interval, with a try by Jack Kelly, but it was scarcely more than a consolation, as the Boks won 21-5.
“I am very proud of the boys,” Soyizwapi said. “The camp coming into this tournament was different, but we really stuck together.
“Today, and the whole weekend, just showed how much we fight for each other.”
South Africa proved the adage that it is not about how you start, but how you finish in sport.
They had arrived for this tournament with a new-look squad. Their multi-title winning coach, Neil Powell, had left the role in September, after the best part of a decade in charge.
If their opposition thought they had a chance, belief would have ballooned after Great Britain – a side put together at short notice – beat the Boks in the opening round of pool matches on Friday.
South Africa only made it through the pool phase on points difference, after a narrow win over Australia in the last game on Friday night.
And yet, while Great Britain were playing in the consolation matches on finals day and losing to Uruguay, South Africa were taking home the title yet again.
“The game of sevens is a game of no excuses,” Soyizwapi said.
“The level we are playing at this season, all the teams are tough to play against.
“They are stepping up, and there are no easy game. We mentioned that, and made sure we were in the right mental space each game that we played.
“I am really happy with the defence we put out there. I think that was part of the plan.”
Van Wyk was the player of the match in the final for his two-try salvo. “We came out there with a plan, and we executed it, like the coaches ask of us,” Van Wyk said.
The win in Dubai moved South Africa level on points with Australia at the top of the World Sevens Series after two legs.
Company%20profile
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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.”
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
