Doha: Qatar is set to host another edition of the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy (ARST) with the participation of 17 countries in both the male and female events on November 3 and 4 at the Onaiza Park in West Bay.
The participating countries in the top-grade competition, which is second only to the Asia Rugby Sevens Series, are Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, India, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Guam, the UAE, and hosts Qatar. The winners of the ARST Doha 2023 gain promotion to the next Asia Rugby Sevens Series.
Hosted by the Qatar Rugby Federation (QRF), the event is an annual series of regional rugby sevens’ tournaments run by Asia Rugby. It follows the programme of World Rugby and its regions, which reflect the diverse sporting culture of the continent.
The tournament is played in a round robin fashion, followed by quarterfinals, semis, and finals matches. There will be three finals played in each division: the Cup, Plate, and Bowls.
Matches will commence on Nov 3 and concluded with a presentation ceremony Nov 4 (evening). The duration of each match of the tournament is 14 minutes (seven minutes for each half), with a two minute of halftime.
QRF Secretary-General Abdullah al Khater said, “We look forward to welcoming the continent to Doha. We’re prepared to give our best and to ensure that all the participants leave Doha with fond memories. Rugby is becoming bigger by the day in Qatar, and we thank Asia Rugby for the confidence reposed in us to host this prestigious tournament.
We are very confident that it will be successful, as everything is 100 percent ready. Our team is ready to give their best, and we hope to win. The competition will be tough, with strong teams like Thailand, the UAE, and Iran participating. We expect to experience two days of amazing rugby in Qatar.”
Speaking about the team’s preparation ahead of the tournament, Warren Abrahams, coach of the Qatar national sevens men’s team, said the team is improving day by day and all hands are on the deck to ensure they make the country proud at the tournament.
“We are doing our best, and I am happy with the way the training is going. The team is in top shape, and we are trying as much as possible to ensure we are in the best of form at the tournament. I am happy with the attitude and passion of the players in training, and we look forward to the best,” he added.
Qatar hosted the tournament for the first time in 2017 with the participation of 11 countries that took part only in the men’s event.
