There were many great stories out of the Rugby World Cup, which brought the sport’s global elite together in France and wrapped with South Africa nabbing the prestigious William Webb-Ellis trophy. One was Portugal — not a traditional rugby nation — making their debut at the tournament and recording an emotional first victory over Fiji. 

The UAE is at an even more embryonic stage than Portugal in its rugby evolution but, for the past decade, former professional Apollo Perelini has been working to create a rugby infrastructure designed to last.