It might be pushing it to suggest, as one coach joked this week, that Division 1 is the new Premiership.
But when the domestic rugby season gets under way in the Middle East this weekend, there will certainly be much intrigue beyond the top tier of the domestic game.
The five-team West Asia Premiership is not without storylines of its own. Chiefly, Bahrain will be back playing cross-border rugby competitively for the first time in two and a half years.
Back then, they became champions of the region before the onset of the coronavirus meant twice monthly, overseas travel to away games was unfeasible.
Bahrain will have a test of their credentials immediately on return to competitive action. They will face Dubai Exiles at The Sevens on Friday evening.
When Bahrain were last part of the competition, Exiles were their regular rivals for trophies. Indeed, while Bahrain were absent, Exiles went the best part of three years without losing, before they were stung by Abu Dhabi Harlequins in the UAE Premiership final in March.
Despite the return of Bahrain, the top division remains pared down to five clubs. Just over two weeks before the start of the season, it was confirmed Dubai Hurricanes had withdrawn from the Premiership.
The club remain one of the largest in the region, yet they opted to drop out of the top tier because of concerns over the number of front-row forward they would have available to play at senior level.
Rocky Truter, the Hurricanes coach, said the decision was the right one because of the reduction in playing numbers, and he points out Division 1 will scarcely be less competitive than the top division.
“I’m happy with what I have seen at training,” Truter said.
“We have a load of new guys who are hungry to represent the Canes. Playing in Div 1 obviously feels like a second division, but there will be teams in there who will be as tough as sides in the Premiership.”
Hurricanes’ demotion beefs up a second-tier competition which already had arguably the headline act of all Gulf rugby, in the form of the arrival of Dylan Hartley.
The former England captain became the director of rugby at Sharks this summer. His arrival coincided with an influx of other coaching talent, which has brought with it an increase in the player pool, too.
Sharks’ will start Hartley’s tenure by facing a side from the capital who have enjoyed a transformative summer of their own.
Abu Dhabi Pumas were known as Saracens until last season. Since then, they have ended their affiliation with the London club of the same name, and are now associated instead with the South African Currie Cup side the Pumas.
Peter Henderson, the Pumas coach who has returned to the club after a season with their city rivals Abu Dhabi Harlequins, says his side are excited for the campaign to start.
“It is great to see that Dylan Hartley has joined the Sharks,” Henderson said.
“It adds flavour to the competition, it is amazing to see and we only want the best for rugby. We are looking forward to a good game against them.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Company%20profile
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if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
- Brentford v Arsenal
- Burnley v Brighton
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Everton v Southampton
- Leicester City v Wolves
- Manchester United v Leeds United
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Norwich City v Liverpool
- Tottenham v Manchester City
- Watford v Aston Villa
Company%20Profile
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
ELECTION%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3EMacron%E2%80%99s%20Ensemble%20group%20won%20245%20seats.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20second-largest%20group%20in%20parliament%20is%20Nupes%2C%20a%20leftist%20coalition%20led%20by%20Jean-Luc%20Melenchon%2C%20which%20gets%20131%20lawmakers.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20far-right%20National%20Rally%20fared%20much%20better%20than%20expected%20with%2089%20seats.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20centre-right%20Republicans%20and%20their%20allies%20took%2061.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 
