By Sports Reporter/Doha
After making it to the Dubai 7s finals this year and in preparation for the upcoming Amsterdam 7s this May, Doha RFC hosted a local sevens tournament over the weekend after an absence of few years.
The teams included Doha 1s, Doha Dolphins, CNAQ, Lions, Hurricane Storm and Qatar French and the tournament served as the perfect opportunity for the Doha men’s team travelling to Amsterdam to gain valuable playing practice.
Doha RFC has the best pitch in Qatar for hosting back to back matches throughout the day and the teams certainly did not disappoint as all the matches turned out to be competitive without a lot of one sided fixtures. This reflects well on the continued development being put in to the QRF domestic league.
“The QDF Doha 7s was a great initiative and well represented on Friday, it gave the developing teams and players a great opportunity to show their skills and development whilst giving the stronger Doha 1s team a good run out before they represent the club and country at the Amsterdam 7s in May,” Doha 1st XV coach Aaron Palmer asserts.
The tournament’s result also indicates the depth of talent in the club at the moment as both teams fielded by DRFC made the finals against each other. “As coach of the Doha 1s team I was happy that we got to have a good look at 14 players to help with our selection to Amsterdam, and the boys got some meaningful competition,” he says.
This year’s promising turnout is attributed to sponsors Sara’s Secrets, Evolution Rugby, Oxygen Events, Grand Hyatt and Etihad Airways as well as to the organisational skills and administrative knowledge of Keith Townsen.
The club is now looking into further tremendous growth and success for next year. Doha RFC plans to host eight teams and for the competition to run as a warm up tournament leading up to Dubai 7s, thereby attracting teams such as Bahrain and Muscat.
“We are only one year out from 7s making its Olympic debut at the Rio 2016,” reminds Palmer. “Rugby is a growing and developing sport in Qatar with 7s being a great introduction to the game so I would definitely encourage curious players to get involved”.
DRFC chairman Luke Godley echoes this sentiment and underscores the sport’s possibilities: “[Friday] was a great example of what can be achieved when there is a real desire to for rugby to be inclusive. We saw teams from all over the country representing nearly 30 nationalities, including Qataris, take part in a carnival of rugby.
“This type of tournament bodes well for the future as Doha RFC expands its reach into schools and the wider community; enabling children and young adults to be involved in a sport with huge benefits both on and off the pitch. Ultimately this will also benefit the national team as they look towards the Asian 5 Nations and future Olympic Games. It is not beyond the realms of possibility, with the help of Doha RFC and tournaments such as these, that we could see Qatari rugby players winning regional honours, and ultimately representation at the Olympics.”
Action from Doha RFC 7s tournament.
