With less than six months to go before Dubai hosts the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 tournament, volunteers are being asked to get involved in one of the biggest sporting events ever seen in the Middle East.
A total of 24 men’s teams are set to compete in the fifth edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens from March 5-7 at ‘The Sevens’, Emirates Airline’s new state-of-the-art sporting complex now nearing completion just off the Al Ain Road.
History is set to be made in Dubai with the concurrent staging of a first-ever women’s competition involving 16 nations and officials predict the three-day event will attract a sell-out crowd in excess of 120,000 fans.
There are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for members of the local community to become involved in a sporting spectacle that will also be watched by a worldwide television audience predicted to exceed one billion viewers.
The event is being hosted by the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union. Chairman David Skidmore said: “We received tremendous backing from the local community when we staged the IRB Under 19 World Championship in Dubai and Sharjah in 2006, and are hoping for a similar response for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009.
Wonderful opportunity
“It’s a wonderful chance for the public to become involved, meet interesting people, have a lot of fun and make a real difference. We are looking for volunteers to cover assistance for match officials, tournament officials and team’s liaison.”
For details of the volunteer programme and the registration of interest documentation, visit www.agrfu.com.
Emirates Airline is Principal Partner for the Rugby World Cup Sevens, which is in addition to the popular and award-winning Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens (November 27-29).
Gary Chapman, President Group Services and Dnata, Emirates Group, said: “Dubai has already established itself as a high-quality venue for staging important sporting events but Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 takes this to a whole new level.
“It will be the most important tournament on the rugby calendar in 2009 and the eyes of the world will be on Dubai for three days of non-stop action and thrills.
Vital role behind the scenes
“Each year, volunteers play a vital role behind the scenes at the Dubai Sevens and we hope that people from the rugby community will now also come forward and become involved to help make the World Cup Sevens 2009 a huge success.”
The eight Cup quarter-finalists from Rugby World Cup Sevens 2005 in Hong Kong – Fiji, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Australia, France, Scotland and Argentina – qualified automatically for the men’s 2009 RWC, along with hosts Arabian Gulf.
Regional qualifying tournaments staged this year has seen further men’s teams in Uruguay, Portugal, Wales, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Samoa and Tonga book their flights to Dubai and the chance to win the Melrose Cup.
The women’s qualifying tournaments have also resulted in Brazil, England, Netherlands, Russia, France, Spain, Italy, Australia and New Zealand through to compete in Dubai.
Further qualifying events in Asia, North America and Africa in the next few weeks will select the remaining men’s and women’s countries to participate in the tournament.
(Source: IRB)
