It’s still pretty warm on a Thursday afternoon in Dubai, but that didn’t deter the young ladies of Nord Anglia International School Dubai staying on after classes had finished for the day to enjoy some rugby with the help of Dubai Exiles RFC.
You may have seen Nord Anglia International School Dubai‘s logo on the Dubai Exiles playing kit this season. The Internationally renowned school, that caters for boys and girls from 2 years to 18 years of age, has been benefitting from Exiles‘ South African wing, Schalk du Preez, helping ‘Mr Gairn’ and the NAS PE Department deliver rugby to their students this season.
Dubai Exiles‘ Premiership Hooker, Dave Gairn, is also a PE Teacher at Nord Anglia International School
Dubai Exiles‘ Under 19 Girls coach and UAE International, Epeli Davetawalu, came along to introduce the NAS Under 18 Girls to Exiles’ rugby with the help of Exiles‘ Under 19 Girls Rachael McNaughtan, Keelin Usher as well as Exiles and UAE Internationals Tara Aksoy and Jodie Qursha.
The girls were split into different age-groups and different ‘drill stations’ set up on the Nord Anglia rugby pitch. The older age groups were introduce to tackling and and the more ‘combative’ elements of rugby using tackle pads, shields and matts while the younger groups enjoyed themselves learning to pass a rugby ball and having a lot of fun playing ‘Quick Rip‘ rugby.
After instructions and some ‘creative’ demonstrations from Mr Gairn on how and why a rugby ball should be carried in two hands, the girls got to test their newly acquired skills in short, very mildly, competitive games.
UAE International and Exiles‘ coach, Epeli Davetawalu, demonstrates the tackle process in VERY slow motion
From the expression on everybody’s faces it looks like the girls (and boys) had a great time throwing a rugby ball around and making some ‘Quick Rip’ tackles.
Exiles Under 19 and UAE International, Jodie Qursha, give chase…
A big thank you to everybody who came along from Nord Anglia International School to enjoy themselves with Dubai Exiles RFC and a massive thank you to Dave Gairn, Stephen Laverie, Epeli Davetawalu, Rachael McNaughtan, Keelin Usher, Tara Aksoy, Jodie Qursha and Isabel Ellis for giving up their time to help the club introduce the young ladies to Dubai Exiles‘ rugby.
DUBAI EXILES RFC at NORD ANGLIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DUBAI
(11th November 2021)
