Five months on from Apollo Perelini’s resignation, Jacques Benade has been confirmed as High Performance Head Coach for the national teams.
On the face of it, the decision makes sense.
Benade is already a familiar figure in UAE rugby circles. He’s been heavily involved with the men’s 15s in recent years and previously led Dubai Exiles, one of the country’s cornerstone clubs. Over more than a decade, he’s built relationships, developed players, and helped shape how the game is played locally.
So yes, it’s a logical appointment, but logic doesn’t completely silence the lingering questions.
Why the Long Wait?
The biggest one is simple: why did it take five months? For many in the community it feels more like a box finally being ticked.
Benade was already doing much of this work. The direction, the planning, the on-field leadership. That was happening anyway. So what changed between then and now?
Was this part of a wider high-performance restructure behind the scenes or was the delay simply caused by uncertainty further up the ladder? Because while the coaching role is now confirmed, one key piece of the puzzle is still missing.
There’s still no CEO in place and that’s not a minor detail.
Leadership Uncertainty
Strong leadership at the top filters down into every part of a programme, from funding and strategy to development and accountability.
Right now, without that clarity, it’s hard not to wonder what the long-term vision actually is. Is UAE Rugby gearing up to grow and evolve or is it focused on keeping things ticking over for another season?
National Team at a Turning Point
Zoom out a little and another reality becomes clear: the national team itself is at a crossroads.
Several senior players are moving toward the later stages of their careers, and last season exposed a worrying trend, that key players simply weren’t playing enough domestic rugby.
Names like, Ethan Matthews, Brad Janes (Vice Captain), Andrew Semple (Captain), spent most (if not all) of the club season on the sidelines. International teams rely on their leaders being week-to-week performers at club level. When that stops happening, standards drop, combinations suffer, and depth becomes a serious concern.
If core players aren’t consistently playing, the national side will feel it sooner rather than later.
Asia Pushes Ahead
The timing matters even more when you look beyond UAE borders. Across Asia, rugby is moving quickly. South Korea, in particular, is investing heavily in professional pathways, infrastructure, and its international programme.
What Needs to Happen?
If the UAE is serious about competing and growing, some tough conversations are unavoidable.
Player pathways need real backing
Youth development and Emirati participation can’t just be talking points. They need proper structure, funding, and accountability.
Domestic rugby needs consistency
Clubs dropping out, forfeits, uneven competition. It all weakens the system feeding the national team.
“High Performance” has to mean something
This role must deliver above a job title:
- Clear national standards
- Aligned strength and conditioning
- A defined way the UAE wants to play
Without that, progress becomes guesswork.
Clarity at the top is essential
The missing CEO appointment isn’t an admin issue. It sets the tone. Strong leadership is what turns plans into outcomes.
Final Thought
Jacques Benade is a respected rugby mind who knows the UAE landscape inside out. He understands the challenges, the limitations, and the potential.
But no coach (no matter how capable) can fix systemic issues alone. The UAE doesn’t lack passion or people who care about the game. What it may be lacking right now, is direction and that’s why the real question is if there is a clear plan for what comes next?
