UAE chief : Full membership to IRB is the next major step.

The Asian Rugby Football Union's (ARFU) official recognition of the UAE Rugby Association as a full member in Bangkok, Thailand, last Sunday was just the first step in a "much more exacting challenge" for the country on the path to International Rugby Board (IRB) full membership, according to UAE Rugby Association CEO Ian Bremner. Formed from the January 1, 2011, dissection of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union (AGRFU), the six-month-old UAE Rugby Association must now work to ‘put all plans into action' Bremner told Gulf News. "ARFU has essentially recognised our ability to govern, organise and finance a realistic plan to develop rugby in the UAE. " "It's a great achievement that reflects highly on the UAE Rugby Association board in terms of foundations put in place. But it also signals the start of a 12-month [or more] process of becoming full IRB members which will be a more exacting challenge." Priorities since regional recognition now include: organisation and arranging of all competitions from September, including regulatory and judicial processes of men's, women's, schools and youth rugby. The next step is to get a thoroughly comprehensive Sevens programme underway, initiated with Emirati players in time for the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens in December plus begin work in Emirati schools from October. "We have to present evidence of these strategic plans ongoing over the period of 12 months [or more] in order to gain the necessary IRB recognition." The formation of a referees' society, which will now come under the wing of the UAE Rugby Association, was also said to be a key first step. "Referees are important affiliates to our sport and we look forward to working closely with the officials, coaches and chairmen to improve standards of play," said Bremner. "Emiratis make up a very small proportion of our members. We have to increase this proportion. Until we get a significant number of Emiratis involved, we won't see nationals infiltrating all aspects of the game. But what we are doing is mobilising and giving new opportunity." Last but not least, the void left by outgoing UAE national team coach Bruce Birtwhistle will be filled with a "full-time professional who will be active in sevens and 15s rugby, but also have a depth of involvement in the U23 and U20 game. Because there is no high performance pathways into the game to sustain the depth of activity." From gulfnews.