The 50th edition of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens raised the bar and made a significant mark on the UAE events calendar with over 100,000 fans walking through the gates at The Sevens Stadium and not only enjoying world-class action on the pitch but also pop sensation Kylie Minogue in concert on Friday night.
The three-day sporting weekend offered rugby, entertainment, music and the spirit of sport, all in one place with action from 28 international teams in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The Black Ferns Sevens become the first team to successfully defend their Dubai title after coming from behind to beat Canada 17-14 and South Africa were crowned the men’s champions with a 15-0 win against New Zealand.
In addition, over 230 teams from all over the world battled in out in the Rugby Invitation Tournament and over 60 netball teams, as part of the 5th Emirates Airline Invitation Netball Tournament.
The 50th anniversary celebration was taken to a whole new level with the Emirates A380 Airbus flying over The Sevens Stadium, not once but twice, giving the crowd a beautiful and close view of the plane!
Emirates celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens in style, treating thousands of spectators and rugby-loving fans with not one, but two spectacular low-level flypasts above The Sevens Stadium with the Emirates A380 dressed in bespoke Dubai Rugby Sevens livery.
Taking off from Dubai International Airport at 1425hrs, the Emirates A380 made its approach above the stadium to conduct its first flypast at 1625hrs, cruising by at slow speed and low altitude. Circling back, the second flypast soared above the Sevens stadium at 1640hrs, wowing spectators again with the dynamic flying display. Commanding the Emirates A380 was Captain Abbas Shaban, supported by Captain Patrick De Roeck and First Officer Mohammed Ahmed.
The special aircraft used for this flypast was wearing the livery dedicated to the milestone 50th staging of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, Dubai’s flagship sporting event and one of the key tournaments on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series. The aircraft, featuring male and female rugby players in action, has travelled to 34 A380 destinations since July, and underscores the airline’s commitment to the long-standing Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens.
One of the biggest event highlights was the performance of international pop-singer Kylie Minogue in concert with her fans singing and dancing on pitch 2 and in the Rugby Village. The Freddy Mercury tribute artist, police band and cheerleaders created an amazing atmosphere as they performed during the breaks and entertained the crowds.
The Rugby village offered a wide range of exciting and fun filled activations for all age groups and Splash ‘n’ Party, Bounce, Emirates Kids Zone and Raffles Creche kept the kids entertained. The village featured three music stages as part of the Heineken Music Festival, making sure everyone danced the weekend away with live music, Silent Disco, top DJs, artists and local bands- making this the most exciting weekend of 2019 once again!
Fans did not disappoint with their 70’s costumes as they entered with their bold prints, bell bottoms, afros and everything 70’s imaginable, taking the scene way back to the 70’s era in which it all began.
The 2020 Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens will take place on 26th, 27th and 28th November.