How rugby opened unexpected opportunities for a Saudi athlete

RIYADH: An oval-shaped ball was enough to make Ameera Marghalani curious about a sport she had barely heard of growing up.

Rugby was still new in Saudi Arabia when her coach introduced her to the game during her senior year of high school.

“I think what first drew me to rugby was honestly how different it was,” Marghalani told Arab News.

“Even the oval shape of the ball caught my attention because I had never seen or played a sport with a ball like that before. Rugby was also still very new in Saudi Arabia, and I had never really heard about it growing up, so naturally I was curious and wanted to know more about it.”

She started attending training sessions and classes, initially seeing rugby as something new to try.

“At first, it was just something new for me to try, but as I kept going, I became more interested and started really enjoying the sport,” she said.

Marghalani enjoyed the intensity of the game, the teamwork and the challenge of learning something completely new.

“I love the intensity, the teamwork, and the feeling of pushing yourself beyond what you thought you could do,” she said.

“Eventually, I had the opportunity to compete and represent Saudi Arabia, which was something I never expected when I first started.”

Marghalani noted that the first time she realized the sport could offer opportunities beyond playing was when she became a commentator at the Saudi Games.

“That experience opened my eyes to the different ways I could be involved in the sport and contribute to its growth,” she said.

“I could help create opportunities, raise awareness, inspire others to get involved, and contribute to the development of sports in the Kingdom.”

Marghalani explained that some of the opportunities that made