Ex-England skipper Hartley gets Middle East director of rugby role

Former England captain Dylan Hartley has agreed to become director of rugby at Dubai Sharks, a second-tier UAE club that finished in sixth place in its most recent campaign. The 36-year-old played his last match in 2018, announcing his retirement after he was unable to make it back in time for the 2019 World Cup, and he has since begun working for Access Hire Middle East.

The equipment rental company sponsor the Sharks and gave them the use last season of a dozen solar-panelled floodlights so they could play in the evening at their Dubai Polo Club home ground. This link between Access Hire and Dubai Sharks has now been strengthened by the unveiling of Hartley as their new director of rugby.

It’s a massive appointment for a club that apparently came close to going out of existence just four years ago due to a lack of players. A reset at the time has since enabled the Sharks to strengthen its numbers at senior men and women, mini and youth team levels and Hartley is encouraged by the potential. Speaking to thenationalnews.com, he said: “Sharks are developing. We are aware of that, and we are realistic in terms of our ambition.

“Every club should have ambition. I wouldn’t join an organisation unless we had ambition. We want to win. We want to do things and achieve, but there is a process to that. Long-term, if we think about playing Premiership rugby and competing there, that could be a realistic long-term goal for us. 

“In terms of the short-term and where we focus now, it is on our youth. We have a great youth set-up, with 350 kids growing to 400. Imagine if we could do such a good job with our kids and retain them, we could be playing on the big stage in a few years’ time because we are not looking for players, we have grown our own and are looking after our own.”

The report outlined that former England hooker Hartley will be moving with his young family to Dubai and dovetailing his role at the rugby club with Access Hire Middle East. “It doesn’t happen overnight,” continued Hartley, who seemingly first discussed his new role with the club when coaching Bali Legends at the 2021 Dubai Sevens.  

“I have been involved with teams myself where you feel like it is going to get worse before it gets better. In this situation, we are not in a bad situation to start with. We are only going to go forwards and upwards as a club.

“That is how I see it, and that is how has been pitched to me, and I don’t think it is a pipe dream. I think it is truly achievable. If we look after our young players, we will have competitive men’s and women’s sides in a few years’ time.”

Dubai Sharks chairman Charlie Taylor added that Hartley, whose move from New Zealand to Northampton was the catalyst for his stellar England career, will not only be on the sidelines coaching the first team but will also be adding his expertise to every aspect of the club. “He is going to have time to settle in and it is not a case of him focusing on the first team,” Taylor said.

“He is equally wanting to play a part in the U4s, which is a new age group we will have next year, right through the age groups and help support the women’s team. He will get stuck in, deliver motivational chats for any of our teams, and will be a big presence and part of our community, rather than sitting behind a desk setting out a blueprint to rigidly follow.”