While players across the UAE start their pre-season conditioning, the work behind the scenes for the new season preparations begins much earlier for club management.

Local Dubai side, the Arabian Knights RFC leadership team have been hard at work throughout the offseason to showcase the club’s strength in what will be it’s 10^th Anniversary year. Founded in 2008, the club is 600 members strong and offers rugby coaching for kids from the age of 5 to over senior rugby at 35+.

After a season of disruption to the seniors’ setup last year, it is the Men’s rugby teams that has experienced a revival during the offseason in preparation for a competitive charge into 2018/19. Welcoming Ric Lambert to the 1^st team coaching setup, concluding an agreement with Sports City-based FitRepublik, and appointing a Club Captain to strengthen the team’s leadership and infrastructure, the team is setting their sights firmly to the top half of the Conference table this coming season.

“Having someone of Ric’s experience on board has already been telling in our preparations”

“Having someone of Ric’s experience on board has already been telling in our preparations,” says chairperson, Louise Palmer. “Under the guidance of coaches Wayne Terry and now Ric, we have a core team of young, exciting talent and looking to build on the season ahead. We can’t wait to get going.”

While cardio work for the players began back in June, a sea of distinctive orange vests descended on Sports City’s FitRepublik for their first group session of strength and conditioning on Monday night, with the players taking full advantage of the club’s investment in making available world class facilities and trainers to their members and newcomers.

“In the club’s 10^th year, we’re all set to do the club and ourselves proud,” says Charlie Willis, team captain and Number 8. “While clubs endure player turnover every year, mostly to relocation, the interest from fresh blood for the 2018/19 season has been very encouraging,” he added.

The Arabian Knights Mens and Vets teams are based at Kings School Al Barsha during the regular season. For preseason, they gather every Friday morning at 07:30 for an open beach session at Kite Beach, or twice a week at FitRepublik for the remainder of August.