Matthew Pewtner hopes his appointment as director of rugby at Dubai Hurricanes aged just 29 will help with his ultimate aim of returning to professional rugby one day – this time as a coach.
The former Wales international sevens player was promoted from his role as assistant coach at the Hurricanes after Mike Wernham vacated the position last week.
Pewtner has been part of the coaching staff at the club since arriving in Dubai in 2017 to take up a teaching job.
Six months earlier, he had seen his professional career ended aged just 25 because of concussion.
When Wernham privately expressed his intention to step down earlier this year, Pewtner was glad to be considered for the role.
“I had the sense Mike was wanting to spend more time with his family, and in January we started to chat about things,” said Pewtner, who formally interviewed for the role at the end of February.
“I have been involved with the Canes for three years now. I have enjoyed all my time with the club, and they have been great to me, helping settle in to Dubai.
“To move on to become director of rugby was the next logical step.
"I’ve been coaching now for four seasons and have done a pretty decent job, I think.
“Taking this next step is good for my progression as a coach.”
Pewtner says he aspires to a return to the elite game at some point, and hopes he can prove his value at the Hurricanes first.
“My next goal is to transition into the professional environment,” Pewtner said.
“Having played at the top level for 10 years, that is the sort of environment I want to go back into.
"Obviously, it would be in a different capacity now, as it wouldn’t be as a player, unfortunately.
“As a coach, that is the next step. Aged 29, with my Level 3 [coaching certificate] I feel like I am in a good position now to kick on and move towards that.
“First of all, I need to prove my worth as the DOR with Hurricanes.”
Wernham expects his successor to thrive given the evidence of the past three seasons as his understudy.
“My announcement timing was to make sure Matt had enough time in the off season to get the coaching team around him that he wants,” Wernham said.
“Retention and recruitment of players is always really important, and I will still be helping out on that front over the next couple of months.
“I am really, really happy that there has been an internal appointment.
“Matt has a great coaching pedigree and a really good relationship with the players, and their family members.”
Hurricanes finished a season that was curtailed prematurely because of coronavirus as third-placed in the West Asia Premiership, and runners up in the UAE Premiership.
With the experience of playing World Series rugby for Wales in the past, Pewtner has also helped plotting title wins for the Hurricanes in each of the past two Dubai Rugby Sevens.
He says the next task is to carry their success from the abridged format over to the 15-a-side game.
“Mike has created an environment at the Canes where everyone enjoys coming to training,” Pewtner said.
“That is actually difficult to do. There are so many different personalities, and so many different backgrounds. What one person might enjoy might not appeal to everyone.
“Mike created a really good culture where everyone wants to do well for the club.
“I want to maintain that, and the fun side, while also focusing on the performance side of things.
“When Mike was doing it, I was able to step away from some of the difficult conversations, but I have got experience in doing that, too.
“I think that, as long as the players respect you as a coach, hopefully they will respect your decisions, so long as you can justify them.”
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
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Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
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Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
Key Points
- Protests against President Omar Al Bashir enter their sixth day
- Reports of President Bashir's resignation and arrests of senior government officials
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
