MUSCAT: The Oman national rugby team departed for the United Kingdom on Saturday to represent Oman in the Touch Rugby World Cup, which will be held from July 16 to 20. The tournament is the largest and most challenging in the history of touch rugby, with a record-breaking 40 countries and 180 teams competing for the title.
The Oman team will face strong challenges in its group, which includes nine countries namely Lebanon, France, Scotland, Australia, Hong Kong, England, US, and Papua New Guinea. The tournament will be played in a single round-robin format, with each team aiming to collect the most points to top their group.
Mohammed al Hashami, team's leader, expressed his great confidence in the Oman team's ability to achieve positive results and represent the country in the best possible way. Al Hashami said: "We are very proud to be participating in a world championship of this size. We have worked hard to prepare for this moment, and I expect our team to perform in a way that befits Oman's reputation."
Al Hashami added: "From the outset, our vision is very clear. We developed a comprehensive plan that included intensive training camps in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in addition to closed and open internal camps. We focused on all aspects of physical fitness and tactics, and designed a daily training programme that included three training sessions per day for 30 consecutive days."
"This tournament will not just be a participation, but an opportunity to prove that the Oman team is capable of competing at the highest levels. We are proud to be the only Gulf team participating, and this gives us an extra motivation to give our best. The Ministry of Sports has provided the team with all the facilities to train and prepare in the best possible way," he ended
For his part, Haitham al Harthy, the team captain, said: "The idea of participating in the World Cup started in 2022, and we had one goal: to build a strong team that can compete on the world stage. Over the past two years, we have undergone intensive training focused on improving speed, endurance, and physical fitness."
Al Harthy added: "Our training was not easy, but the team spirit and high commitment of all the players made it a special experience. Every player on the team knows the size of the challenge, and we are excited to represent Oman in the best possible way. The recent training sessions have been tough and intensive, with us training daily for the past month at three sessions per day, to ensure our physical and mental readiness."
He further added that the tournament is an opportunity to show how far rugby has developed in Oman. "We are determined to perform in a way that befits our country's reputation, and the players are ready to make every effort to achieve positive results. The players feel the great responsibility on their shoulders, and we are all determined to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves," he concluded.
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