There are a few firsts for Craig Joubert next month when he referees the friendly in the desert – Cheetahs vs Sharks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Rugby 365 reports that for a start it will be the first match of this magnitude played in Abu Dhabi. It will be played in the smart 42 000-seater Al Jazira Stadium.
It will be the first time that Joubert, one of the world’s top referees, will referee a match involving the Sharks. After all they are based in Durban and Joubert lives in Durban, but then SANZAR has embarked on merit appointments for referees, regardless of domicile or nationality.
The match on 24 January 2009 is by way of a warm-up for the two sides. The Cheetahs play their first Super 14 match against the Lions on 13 February at Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg, which many will remember as Ellis Park, and the Sharks their first against the Stormers at Newlands on 14 February.
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I just hope there won’t be any injuries…
I see we playing you on Valentines Day Rob???
I plan to have a nice romantic evening with the wife after celebrating a Stormers victory!!! 🙂 😀
Think abt it wpw,what if the stormers lose-a gud chance that it will happen, u wont be in the best of moods with the missus
Al Jazira ❓
Damn I suppose I will have to go and watch, I have a spare room if anybody wants to come through.
“SANZAR has embarked on merit appointments for referees”
Does that mean the Aussies are no longer riffing??
(Comment 4 ) PJLD ,It’s the name of the local stadium.
@Bok-Clyde-Kiwi (Comment 3) :
I think we stand a good chance of beating you guys.
We can put out a formidable team if all our players are available.
@wpw (Comment 7) :
Formidable team…yes…
GOOD chance of beating us… 😆 yeah right…
@blckshrk – BUCS (Comment 8) :
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Somebody get wpw some therapy – he just refuses to learn. 😆
I’m gonna enjoy gloating come 14th Feb.
@wpw (Comment 10) : This is not high school…don’t expect a lot of Valentines…
@wpw (Comment 10) :
If thats all you will be enjoying, than you are a real WP supporter as well as a typical SA fan.
@Big Fish (Comment 12) : He’ll be gloating because of the rugby??? 😯 I thought he meant cards and presents…
@blckshrk – BUCS (Comment 13) :
Knowing him, maybe “gloating” is a euphemism for doing his impression of Onan…
It fits with the profile after all. 😈
@Big Fish (Comment 14) : 😯 …. 😆
@Whindy (Comment 5) :
And with Bryce lawrence being awarded referee of the year in NZ, we can expect to see a LOT more of him 🙁
Will there be beer?
@McLovin (Comment 17) :
Abu Dhabi is NOT a dry emirate so there will be beer. Sharjah is a dry emirate so don’t fly in to Sharjah, fly directly to Abu Dhabi 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 18) : Thanks for the advice. 🙂
What’s in it for the Cheetahs/Sharks? Money?
Will the stadium be full?
@McLovin (Comment 17) :
Well asked….just as I was about to pull out the “KSA guide to eating, drinking and stripping in the Arab world”
@McLovin (Comment 20) :
No probably not.
Maybe i should have left the article unchanged. 😉
The original read: It will be played in the smart 42-seater Al Jazira Stadium. 😳
it MIGHT actually be full if the original number was correct. 🙂
http://www.rugby365.com/news/1370200.htm
@Salmonoid (Comment 21) :
😛
about 20 of us comming down from Dubai and we will bring the watermellons filled with er um adult beverages
No worries AD is not dry but I have been to AFL and crickjet and the stadiums are deffintly dry
Any idea of tickets etc??
@PJLD (Comment 4) :
Where you bru?