Simon Williams insists he will take many wonderful memories away with him following a challenging, tragic but ultimately rewarding three-year tenure as RAK Rugby chairman.
Predecessor Mike Silvester had been something of a one-man band in heroically keeping the historically nomadic club afloat in the three years since reforming in 2013.
At that point there had been no official club in the Emirate for seven years, even though it had been initially formed as RAK Goats in 1982. Meanwhile, the roots of the club can be traced back half a century, with rugby having been played in the northern region in some guise since the first expatriate oil and port workers arrived.
While Silvester scrambled to keep the club in business after initially re-forming, RAK Rugby has exploded as both a business and club in the last three years – during which it has firmly established itself as a fixture on the UAE rugby scene.
The club has since gone on to form its own women’s team, moved from its iconic sand pitch to a grass one for the first time, while there has been recognition in the form of awards from the UAE Rugby Federation as well as being named Yalla Rugby’s Club of the Year this season.
“There were many changes we had to force onto ourselves such as the name change from the Goats to RAK Rugby and setting the club up under royal decree from His Highness Sheikh Saud (bin Saqr Al Qasimi), the ruler of RAK,” said Englishman Williams, who announced at the start of the 2018/19 campaign that he would step down at its conclusion due to added work commitments.
Williams (r) with ruler of RAK Sheikh Saud (2nd r).
“Meeting him, presenting our plans and getting his endorsement was a key moment in the club’s development. We then put structure into the organisation with responsibilities on committee members, which allowed the players to focus on playing.
“Last season we moved to playing on grass and the changes we’d put in attracted a serious coach with Craig Chapman, as well as new players. This reflected in our results with wins at the Dubai Sevens, Barrelhouse tournament, the inaugural Nick Young Trophy v the Arabian Knights, as well as fourth place in the Community League.
“Mike Silvester, the previous chairman, had sown the seeds and we have had some on-field success but now we were beating teams we’d never beaten before and achieved respect across the leagues, resulting in the Yalla Rugby Club of the Year award.
“We also started our women’s team and they had their first wins.
“This season saw RAK Rugby continue the success with the men hitting our highest league position at third, our vets winning at the Dubai Sevens and the men and ladies both making it into the trophy part of the tournament for the first time, the men narrowly losing in the final.
“The women have particularly come on massively this year, even attracting an ex-England sevens player, winning C league tournaments, then several B leagues and finally cementing themselves in the A league as a force to be reckoned with.”
The ladies won the bowl final! Add 3 tournament wins, going C league to A finishing 5th.
— RAK Rugby (@RAKRugby) 15 March 2019
Incredible bunch of girls, supported by coach Craig who has transformed them. Not forgetting medics & supporters. Great RAK Rugby team work, can't wait for the awards night #RAKRugby pic.twitter.com/KlllGH8DOM
No replacement has been named yet, with Williams explaining that a successor will be voted in at the club’s AGM, to be ratified by Sheikh Saud, this summer.
“I announced to the club I wouldn’t be standing as chairman at the beginning of the season,” added the Cambridgeshire native.
“I moved to Dubai then and a new job just didn’t give me the time and now comes the time for me to retire.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the three years in charge and will take away many wonderful memories. I’m particularly proud of what we have achieved as the club has transitioned into a proper functioning business, as we needed to both legally and commercially.”
Amidst the many highlights and progress, the lowest point for the club during recent times has been the death of former player Nick Young, who died days after a tackle during a game at the Sharjah 10s tournament at the end of the 2017/18 season.
Williams added: “There have been difficult times as well, the death of Nick in particular was an awful time but it’s been great to see how his name will be honoured forever and that we continue to raise funds for his wife and boys, who will be having a well-deserved holiday with the recent funds raised.”
Reflecting on happier times, Williams recounts how lucky he has been to oversee such a momentous period for a club he only came to be involved with via a chance encounter, having seen a set of rugby posts jutting out of the sand pitch at their previous home at Bin Majid Resort while driving past one day.
Simon Williams with the club’s Fair Play Team award won following the 2016/17 campaign.
“There are so many good memories I will take away,” he added.
“Playing away at Al Ain in the 2016/17 season and winning our first match there with just 15 men and enjoying a now legendary bus journey home.
“Coaching and developing two youth teams and seeing the kids and parents beaming with delight at our first match v Dubai Hurricanes, and going crazy when we beat Dubai Eagles.
“Helping start the women’s team and watching them play their first tournament when we only had five girls and they managed to win one game against seven.
“Managing our vets at last year’s Dubai Sevens, where we won the Bowl and a bunch of us old guys were all jumping around like kids at the final whistle.
“Of course, I couldn’t have enjoyed or done any of the above without a fantastic team of committee members, sponsors, players and volunteers around me. It truly has been an honour and privilege to be chairman at RAK and I look forward to watching them play as a spectator now.”
