Your UAE weekend: Largest junior rugby festival hits Dubai

The region’s largest junior rugby tournament and the second installment of the HSBC Youth Rugby Series, HSBC Rugby Festival Dubai, takes place this weekend at 7he Sevens ground in Dubai from January 25-26.

Nearly 3,000 junior rugby players from clubs from around the Middle East and Europe will descend on the venue for the HSBC-sponsored grassroots rugby festival over the two days (9am-6pm).

The HSBC Rugby Festival Dubai is part of the HSBC Youth Rugby Series – a series of four HSBC-sponsored junior rugby festivals that visit Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain and Doha over the 2012/13 rugby season.

Under 8, Under 10, Under 12 and Under 14 age category teams participating in Dubai are automatically eligible to earn points towards an end of season grand prize – a VIP training session with an HSBC Rugby Ambassador, plus a new set of rugby kit for the whole team.

2013 marks the fourth year HSBC has been a title sponsor of the junior festival, and an event which sits at the heart of the bank’s commitment to supporting the growth of rugby across the Middle East.

Marcus Hurry, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at HSBC UAE, said: “It's wonderful to see the HSBC Youth Rugby Series grow and grow – this is what grassroots rugby is all about – building a long term flow of young players into this mighty game, encouraging and developing the skills and sporting talents of young people."

Across the series, HSBC will bring rugby fun for friends and family in the form of the HSBC Skills Zone – the ultimate rugby time trial testing the speed and agility of rugby players, and HSBC customers will be rewarded with free giveaways.

HSBC has invested in a year-long programme of grassroots rugby partnerships across the Middle East, including the UAE Rugby Federation’s Pathway Programme, an in-schools initiative to introduce rugby to hundreds of Emirati students across the UAE.

WHAT: HSBC Rugby Festival Dubai

WHERE: 7he Sevens ground, Dubai

WHEN: Friday, January 25 and Saturday, January 26. 9am-6pm

 

* For breaking news, follow us on @Sport_360 or find us on Facebook.