UAE Rugby gains IRB associate status

UAE Rugby has been granted Associate Member status with the International Rugby Board (IRB) after the active union was acknowledged as a ‘driving force behind rapid participation within the country’. The IRB highlighted that the union has a structured organisation, with full-time administrators, as well as a domestic league set-up involving 1,300 adult and 4,600 youth players. The global governing body’s Council also approved a recommendation from the IRB Executive Committee that UAE Rugby be approved as a Full Member of the IRB within 12 months, subject to positive progress and reports from the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and the IRB’s regional staff. “UAE Rugby is very proud to have been awarded with Associate Membership of the IRB,” said the chairman of UAE Rugby, Mohammed Falaknaz. “We are also aware of the challenges of fulfilling the requirements to gain full IRB membership within 12 months. Our organisation is committed to the continued development of the game in the UAE – from the top through to the grassroots – for the benefit of all of our rugby community.” It was recognised too that UAE Rugby continues to oversee and manage a seven-team annual domestic XVs Premiership league and an eight-team Conference competition. The national XVs side competes in the HSBC Asian Five Nations, Top Five tournament.