DUBAI // The UAE Rugby Federation say the progress of female rugby in the country is “a dream come true,” ahead of a landmark week for the sport here.
For the first time, a team exclusively made of Emirati girls will represent the country in rugby.
The Under 18 girls play a competition also involving Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan at Dubai Sports City, starting on Wednesday.
Ahead of the competition, the team trained with the New Zealand women’s side in Dubai over the weekend.
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In addition, Sophie Shams, a 17-year-old Emirati schoolgirl, will be playing senior rugby at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the Gulf Women's tournament for the first time.
There is also greater participation than ever before in the female competitions at The Sevens. Twelve teams will compete in the Gulf Women’s, and six in the Under 19 Girls.
“This tournament is a dream come true for UAE Rugby,” Qais Al Dhalai, the secretary general of the federation, said of the U18s event.
“We are incredibly proud to be fielding an all-Emirati girls sevens team, and we are very excited with the possibilities that lay ahead.”
UAE Rugby have plans to have a ratio of 60 per cent male, 40 per cent female rugby players within the next five years.
According to Fawzia Mohammed Faridoon, the manager of Cultural Activities in the Women Sports Department at Dubai Sports Council and a UAE Rugby board member, the federation’s focus will increasingly be on female rugby.
“UAE Rugby is very committed to the Olympic value of gender inclusion,” Faridoon said.
“We have set a very ambitious goal to have a ratio of 40 per cent female players against 60 per cent male players within the next five years.”
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