The focus will now turn to rugby action at the Dubai Exiles pitch as the annual Emirates sponsored Dubai International Rugby Sevens gets underway Wednesday in Al Aweer, the Gulf News said.
The general perception of the competition was well summed by most of the participating teams, coaches and mangers to be “tough and not an easy one.”
According to the New Zealand captain Eric Rush, the only way to remain in field is to win or else you will be seated on benches watching the big boys playing.
Rush was quoted by the Dubai-based paper as saying that “every team will have to concentrate hard, if you don't, you get knocked out."
Although, some of the big names and teams will be absent like like Fiji, Australia and England, Rush predicted the competition to be “a tough one,” expecting lots of surprises.
“The younger players may outwit older players” in this game of shorter duration in which recovery time is nil almost. Therefore, Rush emphasized that the standard of competition would remain tough.
Like Georgia caused a few ripples during the World Sevens Series last season, a new team could emerge this season too, the daily reported.
No doubt that the Sevens is a different ball game but the All Blacks would like to keep their stronghold on the Emirates Trophy for a third triumph in a row, Rush said.
"All the teams are capable of winning on a given day."
Scotland are a young side and could give the Kiwis a run for their money but Rush believes that Portugal were also the team to watch out for. "They are good," he said.
The fourth team in their group Sri Lanka, Rush said, "they play top class rugby one day and on the other occasions they are awful."
Gary Chapman, the chief director support and development, Emirates airline, said that they have a major expansion plan. "We will oversee the pedigree of Dubai Sevens," he added.
Chapman said that while 16 teams compete for the Emirates International Trophy, 110 social teams will play a key supporting role in the 32-year-old tournament – Albawaba.com
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