The Abu Dhabi Harlequins, also known as the Quins, are one of Abu Dhabi’s longest running sporting clubs, and they are currently getting stuck into their pre-season training ready for another great season ahead. Club captain Chris Davies tells Time Out all there is to know.
Can you tell us about the history of the Harlequins rugby club?
Going back to the beginning, the Abu Dhabi Rugby Union Football Club was established in 1969 and was a founding member of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union, which is now the UAERA. We were then called the Abu Dhabi Bats Rugby Club. We changed the name to Abu Dhabi Harlequins Rugby Club in 2008 when we became affiliated with the London Harlequins – but the badge still bears the bat logo. When the club was founded in 1969 we acquired the name ‘The Bats’ because it was so hot we started off playing on the beach under a street lamp in the dark – like bats. We’re really happy that the Quins has gained a reputation as a warm and friendly multicultural club with great team spirit, determination, enthusiasm and passion for the game. The club has a thriving mini and junior section, too, which has got 460 players from all nationalities. There’s also a senior section with two ladies teams, a veterans team and two senior mens teams, all of which are very successful.
How do you train?
The training consists of conditioning for rugby, core skills work and team patterns and plays. We try to welcome new players to the game by having small group work to allow them to practice the basics and gain an understanding. For the more advanced players the latest techniques in the game are introduced and hard work is encouraged more. Training is two times a week for the seniors teams and the mini and juniors sections. The seniors all train at Zayed Sports City on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7pm-8:30pm and the juniors train from 6pm-8pm on Sundays and Thursdays.
Where are most of your players from?
We have players from a number of countries, and some are not so traditionally known for their rugby as a nation! We have players from the UK, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, France, Romania, Belgium, Greece, Zimbabwe and more.
How big a sport is rugby in Abu Dhabi? Is it growing?
Rugby is certainly growing in Abu Dhabi, we now have three clubs in the capital which shows that. Previously it was just ourselves. Most people involved in rugby union in the region are aware of the problems relating to decreasing numbers of players in the adult game. As a club we are tackling the problem by ensuring there is a strong junior section so that the future of the game is assured. However, such is the transient nature of this region that it has become increasingly difficult for clubs to have that continuity of players progressing from the junior game to the senior level in clubs.
Does the team have a lot of fun together? Is there a lot of banter?
Yes, the team certainly has a lot of fun together and that is also part of the rugby culture. We organise tours to foreign countries, some of our games involve travelling to places like Doha and Bahrain, so by traveling to these places there is obviously a number of funny things that happen, some that are possibly too bad to mention here. During training we always have fun as a team, which is important in building team spirit. There is always banter, and we feel it is important to have fun and that is what rugby brings.
Who are the team’s biggest rivals at the moment?
We really respect and get on with all our opposition, and those are the core values of the game. But our main rivals in terms of playing standards are the Jebel Ali Dragons, whom both our 1st XV and 2nd XV play this weekend in the respective leagues and the top of the table clashes. They are always tough to play and no motivation is required for both teams – there is always a healthy rivalry.
What are the main goals for the Harlequins this season?
The main goal for the Harlequins this season is to win all the competitions that we enter. However, we are in the process at the moment of creating our brand of rugby, called the ‘Quinsway’, which involves a high tempo running game, this shall and is taking time to evolve but this is the way we wish to play and that is with intent! There are so many sections to the club with all their own goals that they wish to achieve. We as a club always have the goal of remaining successful, providing an opportunity for all and creating a family environment where all can enjoy playing the game.
For more information on Abu Dhabi Harlequins email clubcaptain@abudhabiquins.com or visit www.abudhabiquins.com.
