Recreation and Sports in Dubai in Dubai Directory

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Dubai Rugby 7s in Dubai Directory

What began with a small band of British expatriates keen to do something more than watch their ever-increasing waist lines has developed into one of the premier Rugby Sevens events in the World. Having successfully obtained a small plot of land in Bur Dubai with the help of Dubai Municipality in 1966, the hearty founder members of the Exiles Club set about leveling, grading, marking and erecting the posts. The appearance of a pitch drew more members, but there was an early set back before the Exiles moved to their current base at Al Awir, just 10 kms out of Dubai . When the players arrived for a Friday match in 1968, they found a new line of telegraph poles ran straight through the middle of the pitch. The setback was only temporary, for Dubai ’s benevolent Ruler, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, donated land which became a permanent home. So in 1969, with a handful of fans scattered along the touchline, the Staffordshire Regiment were crowned as the inaugural Dubai Rugby Sevens champions. The growth of the tournament in the 70’s mirrored the growth of the Exiles Club. New innovations have appeared by the year with the first matches played on the grass in 1995, followed a year later by Dubai hosting a qualifying round of the Sevens World Cup, And the event has continued to grow in strength each year it is hosted. The tournament expanded by almost 10% in 2006 and with full venue capacity at 32,000, the event had officially tripled in size since 2001. The tournament has also sold out for the past two years and has been voted in Dubai by the general public Best Sporting Event at the Whats On Awards for four years running (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). Developments will continue to happen ensuring the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens remains one of the Middle East ’s top sporting and social events well into the future.

Address: Emarat Atrium Building, 4th Floor Wing B, P.O. Box 6834, Dubai, U.A.E
Telephone: 009714 3210008
Fax: 009714 3211688
Website: http://www.dubairugby7s.com/