The SpoonAAs rugby team opened their challenge to the International Veterans 10's title with a win against the Stockholm Exiles on the first morning of the Dubai 7's.
Under the leadership of ex Irish and Lions player Paul Wallace, the SpoonAAS had high hopes for their performance both on and off the pitch. However, the challenge faltered at the quarter final stage when the SpoonAAs were beaten by the UK Marauders team 5-0 in a very exciting well fought match. Notable names seen on the pitch in Dubai included Welsh player, Stuart Lloyd, Scotland's Kevin McKenzie, and James Hay and England's Steven Ravenscroft and Steve Begley; and Ireland's, Eddie Halvey, Ben Cronin and Stephen McIvor.
The team comprised nearly 100 international caps - that's a wealth of experience to call upon.
The International Veterans 10's is hosted during the festival of rugby week in Dubai culminating in the opening round of the IRB Sevens Series featuring 16 of the leading sevens rugby playing nations.
The SpoonAAs is a partnership between the renowned Anti Assassins Rugby team and Wooden Spoon, the charity of British and Irish Rugby that supports disadvantaged children in the UK and Ireland. In the past two years Spoon has looked to increase its rugby profile in order to make more people aware of the Charity's work. The Dubai Rugby 7's is another major step forward in raising the profile of the Charity whilst engaging more people in the fund raising process.
Further details of the tournament can be found on the website www.dubairugby.com.
While in Dubai the squad and representatives from Wooden Spoon have been working to promote Spoon to the ex pat community and the rugby mad fans. For more information on Wooden Spoon please log on to www.woodenspoon.com