West Asia Premiership: Dubai Tigers lay down roots at new home in view of Burj Al Arab

In the long and storied history of club rugby in the Middle East, the idea of having a home ground in “prime location” has basically meant any location.

Teams have always had to be creative when it comes to fulfilling fixtures. Back in the 1990s, Abu Dhabi’s leading club – then known as the Bats, now the Harlequins - played on a stretch of beach at low tide, with pitch markings drawn by volunteers using cups full of lime and a piece of string.

Dubai Hurricanes started life on a patch of grass next to the Meridien Mina Seyahi. Even today, some of the region’s most successful clubs play their matches in view of Jebel Ali Port, or the landfill site on the Al Ain Road.

On Saturday, though, top-tier rugby’s youngest club moved into its new premises, and immediately became the envy of everyone else.

The new home of Dubai Tigers has all the standard features of a rugby ground. They have converted the athletics track and football pitch within the confines of the Dubai Police Academy into two lush rugby fields.

There is a small stand at one end of one of the pitches. The changing facilities are repurposed shipping containers.

For their grand opening, there were three bouncy castles, as well as a shawarma station.

Then there was the feature which sets the ground apart from any other: namely, an unimpaired view of the Burj Al Arab.

“You can’t beat the view,” said Shane Thornton, the Tigers’ chairman. “Everyone is trying to get a photo with that in the shot.”

Thornton’s team have led a nomadic existence since he started nearly seven years ago. They have called Dubai Sports City home in the past, and also played matches at The Sevens earlier this season, having vacated Dubai College (DC), just a drop kick away from their new home,