Dylan Hartley makes a splash as Dubai Sharks prepare to bare their teeth

Rush hour on Hessa Street can be an unappealing prospect. For the players of Dubai Sharks rugby club, though, there is now an extra incentive to push on through.

Make it to training early at Dubai Sports City, and you might just get specialist tuition from a grand slam-winning captain.

On Tuesday night, the first arrivals received a clinic on how to run a decoy line and hit up a crash ball. All very rudimentary, of course. But it means a little more when the advice is coming from Dylan Hartley.

The 97-times capped former England hooker arrived in Dubai just under three weeks ago, to take up a job with Access Hire Middle East. He is dovetailing that with being director of rugby at the Sharks.

When they recruited him earlier this summer, the club were sure he would be ideal for pressing the flesh with sponsors, a figurehead for recruitment, and if he wanted to be hands-off in terms of actual coaching, so be it.

Not a bit of it. On Tuesday night, for example, he arrived an hour early to plan with the club’s coaches, which also includes former Wales and South Africa sevens internationals.

Then, for the duration of the training session with scores of male and female players that followed, he was front and centre.

“He has made a really strong first impression,” said Matthew Pewtner, the former Wales sevens international who is the Sharks’ head coach.

“It is great to be able to work with someone who is really fresh out of the professional game, having been at the highest level for a long time.

“He brings a different insight, different to what these lads are used to, but different in a really positive way. All the wisdom he brings is just invaluable. His experience speaks for itself.”

Dubai Sharks head coach Matthew Pewtner