Travel restrictions around the globe have meant a variety of familiar faces have had to forego their return to the UAE for this year’s Emirates Dubai Sevens.
It would be easy to have assumed the strict regulations in New Zealand, for example, would have paused one of the tournament’s most enduring stories.
Speranza 22 are an invitational side who were founded for the purpose of an annual get-together at the Dubai Sevens, in memory of their friend Marco Speranza.
The former Abu Dhabi Harlequins player died in a plane crash in his native Argentina in February 2013. The team bearing his name has appeared at every Dubai Sevens since, winning the International Invitational title — which is the tournament one down from the World Series competition — in 2017.
Given the nucleus of the side now live in New Zealand, it was always going to be a stretch to field a side in this tournament.
Or so you might think. In fact, they will be fielding three — one each in the International Invitational, International Open, and Local Social tournament.
And their International Invitational side might be one of the most star-studded ever to take the field in a sevens event anywhere — World Series or otherwise.
After pooling their resources with Life After Rugby, a Fiji-based initiative for ex-players, Speranza will be able to call on many of the players who won the first Olympic gold in sevens, back at Rio 2016.
Their squad includes World Rugby hall of famer Osea Kolinisau, former world player of the year Samisoni Viriviri, and two-time World Series winner Semi Kunatani.
“A lot of us started out playing on the series in Dubai and it holds a lot of memories for us,” Kolinisau, who was the Fiji captain at Rio 2016, said before conducting a training session for schoolkids at Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai.
“This is about giving back to rugby for what it has given most of us. In terms of the Speranza partnership, we are happy to represent the memory of Marco.”
Back in their pomp, this Fiji side were one of the most attractive ever to play the game. Now the pressure is off, Kolinisau reckons they might be even better to watch.
“We were a bit rusty on the first day we arrived here,” said Kolinisau, who won the International Invitational with South Sea Drifters on his debut tour in 2007.
“It is the first time we have been back together for three or four years. We know we are not the youngest team there, but we might be the biggest and most physical.
“Nothing will change. We will live and die by the sword, by our offloads. We are hoping to showcase Fijian rugby, and do in the Invitational tournament what we did in the main competition.
“When we go to a tournament, our only intention is always to win it. Not to participate, but show the world what Fijian rugby is all about.
“It is going to be a good feeling to be back out there in front of those crowds again. These are going to be good memories.”
Whether they have a full squad to call on remains to be seen. The logistics of travel to the UAE from the South Pacific given the current climate have been challenging.
The players had to fly from Fiji via Sydney, then Singapore and on to Dubai. Rory Greene, the Abu Dhabi-based manager of the Speranza side, says all the effort will be worth it to see the players in action.
“What we are trying to do is become a globally recognised invitational sevens team who bring good people in, but maintain the focus on charity,” Greene said.
“The only way we can really do that is expanding who can play for us, while maintaining the ethos of making sure they are good blokes first and foremost.
“It has been difficult this year. The New Zealand boys have not been able to come here, which is a real shame, but it was not worth the risk.
“We could get them here but there would be no way to get them back. We have been watching the news very carefully, and hopefully we can get through the weekend before there is anything drastic like travel bans.”
LAR Speranza 22’s International Invitational fixtures
Thursday December 2
2.20pm Pitch 4: v Monaco Impis
4.20pm Pitch 4: v Zastava 7s
Friday December 3
6.46pm Pitch 2: v Germany Development
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Scores
Day 2
New Zealand 153 & 56-1
Pakistan 227
New Zealand trail by 18 runs with nine wickets remaining
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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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