Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens to kick off on Thursday

The Sevens Stadium will come alive on Thursday 3 December as day 1 of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens three-day extravaganza kicks off. In an action-packed day, the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series gets underway on Pitch 1, alongside the biggest Invitation Tournament ever which includes the brand new Netball Tournament. Special activities will be taking place in the Rugby Village thanks to the number of sponsors on board this year. With free entry for all, the National Day celebrations can continue well into the weekend for a truly family-friendly occasion. The Rugby Village is offering an unprecedented array of games, competitions and activities this year, to make sure fans can enjoy more than just the world-class action on the opening day. With the brand new Teen Zone, presented by Virgin Radio Dubai and PlayStation, the Sabba 7’s Cub and the crèche, all open from Day 1, fans of all ages are set to have an unforgettable experience.  Families are also catered for with a special entrance and 2,000 designated family seats in the dnata family stand, a range of F&B outlets will be on offer for all to enjoy, as well as a free bus service to family drop-off points throughout Dubai operating from 6pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Last year’s Tournament and Series winners, the New Zealand women’s team, will kick off both their series and Dubai title defences against Russia and Brazil in Pool A. Rivals Canada and USA meet in Pool B alongside Fiji and Ireland, while Australia is the top seed in Pool C where they’ll face England, Spain and series newcomers Japan. A total of 18 international matches will be played on Thursday and the popular Invitation Tournament kick off, which this year features over 250 teams and will include 24 teams from the Netball Invitation Tournament. Rated one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, the Invitation Tournament will see competition in categories ranging from UAE National Schoolboys to Veterans, as well as International Open Men’s and Women’s Teams. The full schedule of matches can be found here. Tickets for the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens can be purchased online at www.dubairugby7s.com or at selected Costa, MMI, Go Sport and dnata outlets, Bidi Bondi, The Sevens Stadium and Park n Shop. Ticket Prices are: Thursday, 3 December  – FREE ADMISSION Friday, 4 December – in advance AED300, on the day AED400 Saturday, 5 December – in advance AED300, on the day AED400 Season Tickets (Friday and Saturday) – in advance AED500, on the day AED600 Children under 12 are admitted free of charge if accompanied by an adult.