Maddison Mellish got off her sickbed to help Abu Dhabi Harlequins to the Gulf Women’s title at the 2025 Dubai Sevens.
She had been struggling with a virus since earlier in the week. She acknowledged her participation in the tournament was not in doubt, but how much of a part she would play in it was. It turned out her role was central to it.
After scoring the winning try in overtime in their morning semi-final against defending champions Dubai Phoenix, Mellish headed straight back to the sick bay.
She slept there for half an hour, was dosed up on medication, then rejoined her Harlequins teammates ahead of their 12.20pm final on Pitch 1.
Her recovery was remarkable. Mellish scored two tries as the side from the capital beat Dubai Hurricanes 27-7.
“I don’t think, it was a doubt as to whether I was going to play, but it was as to how many minutes I was going to last each game,” Mellish said.
“This morning we won the semi-final, we went to extra time and I scored the winning try, but then I think I died at the end. I was literally like the most dramatic thing ever.
“But I was always going to play this game [the final]. I'm just so happy that we won.”
Mellish said playing and winning a final on the main field at the Sevens felt like “redemption”. She had been part of a Quins side who had won the competition 12 years earlier.
At that point in time, though, Gulf Women’s finals were played on Pitch 2. Tasting success in front of the huge stands on the neighbouring field this time felt very different, she said.
“Until you stop running, you don't think about it, but it was really cool to play on Pitch 1,” said Mellish, who is a teacher at Bateen World Academy in the capital.
"I won the Dubai Sevens 12 years ago with the Quins when I was 17, but we never got to play on Pitch 1, so this is like redemption. It's nice to get on there and finally play.
“It was so nice hearing everyone from Abu Dhabi. You could like spot them everywhere throughout, so that was so encouraging.
“From that first try we got in the first minute, I think we set the tempo and it was just so much fun to play.”
Mellish was not the only Quins player to be returning to the annual carnival for rugby in the Middle East with some unfinished business with Pitch 1.
Georgia Barber had been part of the pioneering side of girls from the British School Al Khubairat, who won the Gulf Under 19 Girls tournament on debut in 2016.
Again, that tournament was played on Pitch 2. She returned nine years later to claim another winner’s medal.
This time she scored the opening try in front of a cheering DHL Stand on the main field to lay the platform for victory against the Hurricanes.
After moving to the UK for university, Barber returned to Abu Dhabi to work as a teacher. She is now part of the sports department at her old school, which has involved teaching rugby to schoolgirls who are following in her own footsteps.
This weekend she had to swap between duties coaching them and playing for Quins. Ultimately, it ended with a medal.
“I was saying to the girls, I've won a final at Dubai Sevens, but never played on Pitch 1,” Barber said.
“So that was a big milestone for us. I was absolutely buzzing. It just such an awesome opportunity. As we're walking off that pitch the Black Ferns [New Zealand women’s team] are walking on to warm up, so it was absolutely amazing.”
Barber said her side had wanted to right a wrong after missing out on the Dubai Sevens title last year.
“In the sevens season, the only tournament that we actually didn't win was [Dubai Sevens],” Barber said.
“We lost out in the quarter-finals last year. This year was definitely something we were working towards. We had it in our heads that we wanted to do well, and the girls really pulled through.”
