Marcus Smith of Arabian Gulf, in white, takes on South Africa's Mzwandile Stick during the Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens in November 2008. Arabian Gulf are in a pool with New Zealand, Italy and Tonga for the upcoming tournament. Randi Sokoloff / The National
DUBAI // The students, general managers and medical professionals who make up the Arabian Gulf sevens team will do battle against the best side in the world, New Zealand, on the biggest stage of all, at the World Cup Sevens in March.
The part-timers were pitched into a pool with the all-conquering All Blacks, as well as Tonga and Italy, when the draw was made for the March 7-9 competition at The Atlantis hotel on Monday.
Up until a few months ago they were competing for space with the public during their training sessions at Safa Park in Dubai.
In two months' time, they will be competing against some of the greatest names in the game.
Gordon Tietjens, the New Zealand coach, has been given special dispensation from his union to pick Super 14s players, including full All Blacks.
It is a treat he has rarely been afforded in the past, and he could bring the likes of Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu, two of the most prolific try-scorers in the world game, to these shores.
While that is guaranteed to swell the attendances, it is also a daunting prospect for the Gulf players.
Andrew Cole, the newly installed chairman of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union, said: "Realistically, going into the competition is going to be tough anyway, whatever draw we get. But for the guys to get the chance to play against someone like New Zealand is fantastic.
"On the World Cup stage as well, that will be the premier of anyone's rugby career. It is a great opportunity for the boys."
The Gulf are sending a squad to the Wellington Sevens at the start of February, where they will be competing in the invitational tournament while the likes of Tonga and New Zealand meet in the IRB Series.
While Italy remain an unknown quantity, the New Zealanders and Tongans are famed for their immense physical presence.
"We might have to hire a few more physios," joked Cole, the former Abu Dhabi chairman who has replaced David Skidmore at the union's chairman.
"Mike Lunjevich, the coach, has obviously done a brilliant job, and we have also brought in Charlie Keenan, a strength and conditioning coach from Scotland.
"That has really helped the guys and spurred them on, together with a great management team."
The last time the Gulf met New Zealand in competition, at the 2007 Dubai Sevens, they were trounced 64-0.
It marked the nadir for the region's sevens side, but their form since has prompted much reason for cheer.
Cole said: "At the last Rugby Sevens, a lot of people changed their attitude towards the Gulf squad and what they could actually achieve.
"We gave a couple of major nations a shock, and I think we can go that one step further at the World Cup.
"If we can take a game, that would be fantastic, but at the end of the day we want to go there and show that we can be a nation who should be taken seriously."
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