Exclusive: Friendship will be the winner in UAE-Israel rugby match, says Perelini

Dubai - The matches will be played at the Dubai Sports City on Friday

The result will cry for relevance when the UAE and Israel rugby sevens teams lock horns to put a smile on millions of faces around the world.

Following the historic peace deal between the two countries last year, sports federations in the UAE and Israel have left no stone unturned in their attempt to further strengthen the ties.

And the rugby teams of the two countries will reap the fruits of those groundbreaking efforts when they play an exhibition match at the Dubai Sports City on Friday.

Then, in line with the spirit of the occasion, the two national teams will be mixed for another game of sevens rugby on the same day.

No wonder then that Friday’s matches hold a special place in Apollo Perelini’s heart.

“It’s a special moment. To play in this friendship match is truly amazing, and the most important thing is not about the result. It’s just the event and it’s really amazing to be part of it,” Perelini, the UAE head coach, told Khaleej Times on Thursday.

“It’s one of the highlights of my life. I have achieved so much in my career, playing at the international level. But this is a historic event, you know, and to have the mixed teams is amazing.”

Another remarkable feature about Friday’s main match is Perelini’s success in fielding a UAE team of all Emirati players.

“You know, we in the UAE have an expat-performance team, which predominantly have the expats. So to be able to field a full Emirati team against Israel is fantastic. It’s a fantastic achievement for the federation,” Perelini said.

“We have been developing Emirati players in the last 10 years. Some of them have come and gone, but the greatest thing for me is what I didn’t want to do is field in this match a team of expats. It just doesn’t look right. So it’s great to have a team of Emiratis for this game. They are very competent, very confident. They are good players.”

Perelini then revealed who, according to him, would be the biggest winner on Friday.

“As far as this game is concerned, it’s not about the result, it’s not about who wins and who loses. The biggest winner is the relationship,” he said.

“For me personally, it’s an achievement, forming this lovely friendship between the two countries within the sport. It’s the occasion and what it stands for.