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Both Dubai and Emirates are synonymous with the game of Rugby Sevens and have been instrumental in the development of the game; so it was felt the venue should reflect this close association. </p><p>“It is our aim that The Sevens will encourage greater participation in rugby and other sports by Arab nationals and that the venue will help foster the development of teams, both here in the UAE and the wider region.”</p><p>From the rugby angle, The Sevens will feature a permanent grandstand with 4,000 seats and temporary stands will be erected around this permanent structure to cater for up to 40,000 people.  </p><p>Hospitality areas, broadcast and medical facilities and changing rooms also feature in the design as well as a 30-metre wide rugby promenade, featuring cafes and food outlets.</p><p>The second pitch will be in a bowl and enclosed on three sides by a grass embankment enabling a crowd of 15,000 to enjoy the sporting action or possibly even concerts, while a nearby sports complex and clubhouse will include provision for tennis, squash, basketball and badminton as well as a gymnasium and swimming pool.</p><p>The remaining four rugby pitches will be located close to a two-storey 80-metre long clubhouse that will feature the offices of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union – the governing body of rugby in the region.</p></div></div><div class="floatBox"><div class="boxRWC0933"><div class="iC"><img class="boxedImg" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgML/IRB/body/RWC09banner_tournament2.jpg" width="182" height="96" alt=""/></div><div id="f" class="f"> </div></div> <div id="level2" class="homeHeader"><ul id="lev2Menu" class="competitionMenuRWC09"><li class=""><a href="/web/20080731225458/http://www.irb.com/rwcsevens/news/index.html" class=" first ">News</a></li><li class=""><a href="/web/20080731225458/http://www.irb.com/rwcsevens/destinationdubai/index.html">Destination Dubai</a></li><li class=""><a href="/web/20080731225458/http://www.irb.com/rwcsevens/partners/index.html" class="last">Partners</a></li></ul><div class="f"> </div></div> <div class="box33"><div class="iC"><div class="imgPromo" style="float:left;width:124px;padding-bottom:15px;border-right:solid 1px #B3B2B2;" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/02/xpath-functions"><div><h2 style="color:#101010;height:25px;">HOST UNION</h2></div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080731225458/http://www.agrfu.com/" target="_blank"><img src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgML/IRB/BannerPromo/AGRFU-logo_web_5366.gif" alt="" width="100" height="100"/></a></div><div class="imgPromo" style="width:125px;float:left;" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/02/xpath-functions"><div><h2 style="color:#101010;height:25px;">PRINCIPAL PARTNER</h2></div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080731225458/http://www.emirates.com/" target="_blank"><img src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgML/IRB/BannerPromo/EK-Logo_web_5365.gif" alt="" width="100" height="100"/></a></div></div><div id="f" class="f"> </div></div><div class="articleBody box33 nopadd"><table class="c1" class="c1"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="" colspan="2"><strong>RWC Sevens qualifying tournaments</strong></td></tr> <tr> <td class="">Africa (women)</td> <td class="">Uganda, 20-21 SEP </td></tr> <tr> <td class="">Asia (men/women)</td> <td class="">Hong Kong, 4-5 OCT </td></tr> <tr> <td class="">North America (men/women)</td> <td class="">Bahamas, 25-26 OCT </td></tr> <tr> <td class="">Africa (men)</td> <td class="">Tunisia, 31 OCT - 1 NOV </td></tr></tbody></table> </div><div class="box33"><div class="imgPromo" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/02/xpath-functions"><a href="/web/20080731225458/http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/news/newsid=2024836.html"><img src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/BannerPromo/olympic-promo-website_5670.gif" alt="Rugby seeks Olympic return"/></a></div></div><div class="box33"><div class="imgPromo" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/02/xpath-functions"><a href="/web/20080731225458/http://www.irb.com/rwcsevens/destinationdubai/stadium.html"><img src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/BannerPromo/stadium248x66.jpg" alt="Destination Dubai"/></a></div></div> </div><div class="contentRow"><div class="floatBox"><div class="contentRow"><div class="box30"><div class="imgPromo" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/02/xpath-functions"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080731225458/http://irb.edgeboss.net/wmedia/irb/radio/total_rugby_radio.wax"><img src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/BannerOthers/BannerS_TotalRadio.jpg" alt="Total Rugby Radio"/></a></div></div><div class=" boxUN30"><div class="iC"><table class="table_main" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/02/xpath-functions"><caption class="h heading2">IRB World Rankings</caption><thead><tr><th colspan="4">28 July 2008</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="cell_shade"> 1(1)</td><td width="50%" align="center" class="cell_shade"> </td><td class="cell_shade"><img class="smallFlag" style="margin:3px 0;" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/RSA.gif" width="19" height="13" alt="RSA"/></td><td class="cell_shade">RSA</td></tr><tr><td> 2(2)</td><td width="50%" align="center"> </td><td><img class="smallFlag" style="margin:3px 0;" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/NZL.gif" width="19" height="13" alt="NZL"/></td><td>NZL</td></tr><tr><td class="cell_shade"> 3(3)</td><td width="50%" align="center" class="cell_shade"> </td><td class="cell_shade"><img class="smallFlag" style="margin:3px 0;" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/AUS.gif" width="19" height="13" alt="AUS"/></td><td class="cell_shade">AUS</td></tr><tr><td> 4(4)</td><td width="50%" align="center"> </td><td><img class="smallFlag" style="margin:3px 0;" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/ARG.gif" width="19" height="13" alt="ARG"/></td><td>ARG</td></tr><tr><td class="cell_shade"> 5(5)</td><td width="50%" align="center" class="cell_shade"> </td><td class="cell_shade"><img class="smallFlag" style="margin:3px 0;" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/ENG.gif" width="19" height="13" alt="ENG"/></td><td class="cell_shade">ENG</td></tr><tr><td> 6(6)</td><td width="50%" align="center"> </td><td><img class="smallFlag" style="margin:3px 0;" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/WAL.gif" width="19" height="13" alt="WAL"/></td><td>WAL</td></tr><tr><td class="cell_shade"> 7(7)</td><td width="50%" align="center" class="cell_shade"> </td><td class="cell_shade"><img class="smallFlag" style="margin:3px 0;" src="/web/20080731225458im_/http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/FRA.gif" width="19" height="13" alt="FRA"/></td><td class="cell_shade">FRA</td></tr><tr><td> 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