Wales legend Rhys Webb Joins RUCK to Spotlight Rugby Talent in the Middle East

In his role, Rhys will:
✅ Keep an eye on local up-and-coming stars
✅ Showcase players ready for the Premiership & URC
✅ Share insights on rugby’s rapid growth in the Middle East

When asked what motivated his move to Dubai, Rhys shared:

“During my rugby career, I travelled the world and was always drawn to the lifestyle and the weather. For the past 10 years, my wife and I visited Dubai on holiday with our three boys.

"After finishing playing professionally, I wanted a sense of normality—simple things like shopping, parks, and quality family time. Dubai felt right: safe, welcoming, and a fantastic environment for our kids to grow up in and now I feel I am present and give the kids my full attention .

"That’s why you see a lot of ex football players moving over to get that sense of normality,

“I was very lucky to bump into an amazing human and entrepreneur, Rob Webb, who gave me the opportunity to lead Eden Rose Middle East.

"Eden Rose is a global search company, specialising in financial and professional services, and is headquartered and backed by the BGI Group. I now serve as a Director of this growing business, driving its expansion and impact across the Middle East.”

Rhys was immediately impressed by Dubai’s world-class infrastructure:

“The beaches, pools, facilities, and services here are unbelievable. You can get anything delivered in minutes, fuel where ever you are they’ll come to you and put some in for you , if you need something from the shop , maximum 10 minutes and the city is spotless. Within an hour you can escape the bustle to the mountains—there’s a perfect balance between excitement and tranquility.”

On rugby in Dubai:

“The rugby community is vibrant. At just one club, over 800 kids participate. Across the region, multiple clubs are nurturing young talent. The atmosphere is sunny, relaxed, and full of smiles. Everyone is welcoming and hungry to improve,"

Rhys sees a bright future for Dubai’s young players:

“What stands out is in hunger to improve. They’re obsessed with the game, focused on skill development, recovery, nutrition, and academics. Their commitment on and off the pitch is inspiring. They play fast, exciting rugby—a style the game needs.”

He added that his RW9 Performance program back home focuses on coaching 1-2-1 position specific , athletic development and mentoring athletes on mindset and resilience.

Rhys is excited about the upcoming Dubai 7s:

“The Dubai 7s is incredible. I played here in 2009, winning the World Cup 7s with Wales. It’s more than rugby—schools, clubs, invitational teams, netball, fitness competitions—all coming together. The scale, energy, and exposure are unmatched, and it’s an amazing goal for young players.”