Historic win highlights rugby’s rapid growth across the Middle East

For the players, coaches, and supporters involved, it was more than just a big win. It was the result of years of steady work to build something lasting.

Adam Wallace has seen that journey first-hand. Originally from the UK, Wallace moved to Bahrain 12 years ago to play a season of club rugby and never left. He’s now the club’s Director of Rugby, head coach of the first team, and captain of the national side.

“When I came over, I thought I’d play for a year and see how it went,” he told 'What's All The Ruckus?'. “But the people, the place, the rugby culture — it all just drew me in.”

Back then, rugby in Bahrain was small and fairly amateur. The Bahrain Rugby Club was already established, but the scene was made up mostly of expats playing weekend matches across the Gulf. Teams would fly to Dubai, Doha, or Muscat for games, all at their own expense.

Over time, the club grew into something much bigger. It now has around 7,000 members and is a key part of the local community, hosting men’s, women’s, and youth teams. In 2021, the Bahrain Rugby Federation was formed, allowing the sport to take its first steps toward official international recognition.

The national team’s debut against Jordan was the result of three years of preparation. “It’s been very player-led,” says Wallace. “We wanted to give the rugby community here something to be proud of — a team that represents Bahrain.”

Most of the players in that match weren’t Bahraini by birth, but many have lived in the country for years. Only one Bahraini-born player was in the historic squad, while the rest were long-term residents or born to expat parents. Wallace says that mix is natural.

“A lot of people move here and end up staying,” he explains. “By the time they’re eligible to play for Bahrain, they’ve already made their lives here. They work here, raise families here — they’re part of the place.”

That connection to Bahrain is what makes the team different. The club has even built a small business network to help players find work and settle in long-term. It’s a simple idea that’s helped them keep experienced players and avoid the constant turnover that many expat clubs face.

Rugby remains a minority sport in Bahrain, where football dominates. But Wallace says there’s real room for it to grow. “We’re not trying to compete with football,” he says. “We’re just trying to show people what rugby is about — teamwork, respect, and community.”

The sport is already spreading slowly at the grassroots level. The federation is working with schools to introduce rugby to younger players, often through touch or tag rugby. Interest is rising, helped by the visibility of the national team and by Bahrain’s success in regional sevens tournaments in recent years.

There’s still a long way to go. At the moment, there are only about 140 registered senior players in the country, and around 50 are eligible for the national team. But the enthusiasm is real. The crowd for the Jordan match was one of the biggest the club has ever seen, and the result caught the attention of local sports authorities and the wider rugby community in Asia.

Bahrain Rugby Club’s first team is already one of the strongest sides in the West Asia Premiership, a competition that includes clubs from the UAE and Qatar. Last season, they finished top of the table but lost narrowly in the final to Dubai Hurricanes. Given that the UAE national team came within one spot of qualifying for the Rugby World Cup, there’s a growing belief that Bahrain could one day follow a similar path.

For Wallace, the long-term goal is simple: build a national team that truly represents the country and a club structure that develops local players from the ground up.

“We want rugby here to outlast any of us,” he says. “Whether you’re Bahraini or an expat, this should feel like your team and your community. That’s what we’re building.”

Bahrain’s rugby journey is still in its early stages, but it already shows what’s possible when a small community comes together with patience, purpose, and a shared love of the game.