After leading the Dubai Eagles women’s rugby team on the success trail for two consecutive years, Darrell McEwen is ready to take on a new challenge at Dubai Tigers Rugby Club after taking a year out to complete his PGCE.

Darrel McEwen leading a training session at the Dubai Tigers RFC

McEwen’s new role as women’s coach will see him targeting a top 4 finish in the UAE Women’s Seven’s Series season after the team finished 6th position in the league last season.

As well as his coaching role with the ladies, he will also be preparing the U-14 mini and youth rugby team for another successful campaign and has a very positive approach to the game, despite the Covid-19 outbreak.

When asked about the pandemic not suiting the comeback conditions, McEwan said:

“As a coach, you got to identify your priorities. And even if Covid didn’t exist, my training sessions would probably not be much different anyway.”

“Due to social distancing, the girls were individually doing fitness training, but we had our first training session last week as the restrictions in Dubai have eased a bit.”

On further questioning when asked about maintaining the Tiger’s position in the league table, he said:

“What’s important to me is that we get better, week by week, round by round.”

Could we be seeing a new Tiger King in the making this season? Now, all we have to do is hope the Gulf rugby season gets under way as quickly and safely as possible, fingers crossed.