ALL THE NEWS & EVENTS
Gulf set to play 41st and Final Match
01/01/70
ARABIAN GULF’S XVS 41ST AND FINAL INTERNATIONAL GAME
Tomorrow, the Arabian Gulf’s XVs will compete in their 41st and final full international since joining the IRB in 1990. The game will kick off at 1900 at The Sevens ground on Al Ain Road. The stadium will be host to a variety of activities throughout the day, marking the end of an era for the AGRFU.
Having played rugby for the Arabian Gulf for 15 years, Mark Gathercole is the most experienced player in the team with 33 caps. Mark played in his first international for the Arabian Gulf in 1995 against Kenya in a two test competition. The event, which took place on a sand pitch in Dubai, saw the Arabian Gulf claim two consecutive wins. To add to his rugby career, Mark also has represented the Arabian Gulf in their 7’s side consistently over the years. As the final match draws near, he commented: “This game is a sad realisation for the Union and for the team as we’ve been playing together for so many years. With the AGRFU disbanding we won’t be able to play together again as the Arabian Gulf side. We are all very conscious of this and we are really keen to make tomorrow a big day and leave on a high”. Mark has played South Korea twice in the past and noted: “The Korean team is very physical and fit. They have strong forwards but we are far superior in terms of technical capability and knowledge of the game. This will be a tough game but one we can win”.
Flying in from France to join the squad is Nicolas De Marco. Nicolas landed in Dubai last night and previously played for Abu Dhabi, Dubai Dragons, Dubai Exiles and the Arabian Gulf. He currently resides in France but has returned to the Arabian Gulf to compete in their last ever XVs match.
On the other side of the spectrum, Jordan and Lebanon will be kicking off their first ever international in the curtain raiser match at 1600. Ghaith Jalajel, is part of the AGRFU development team and will be representing Jordan in this inaugural game. Jordan has only participated in one international rugby tournament ever, the Colombo 7’s. Ghaith was part of this team where their opposition was Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Brunei and Thailand. They are new to the international stage but it is clear they are eager to develop rugby across the nation. Ghaith, excited to be playing in Jordan’s first XVs game stated: “This is a huge step for the boys and a first time experience for all of us in a XVs international. It is a great chance for us to compete at this level and great platform to propel ourselves further onto the world stage. There is plenty of rivalry between us and Lebanon, and it will be a tough game especially in the heat”. Ghaith hopes to represent Jordan in their 7’s side at the Asian Games later this year, which will take place in Guangzhou, China.
