Invitation from the Honourable Chairman of Malagasy Rugby

The honourable chairman of Malagasy Rugby, Mr Marcel Rakotomalala, comments on the upcoming mission:

“My dear friends, I would like to extend my warmest thanks to all the members of the Air Seychelles Mike Ballard Foundation Conquistadors with regard to the sporting and charitable actions they will perform in Antananarivo so as to support the development of Rugby in Madagascar.

We fully appreciate the opportunity to play the Air Seychelles Mike Ballard Foundation Conquistadors in the context of a friendly match. This game will provide our national team the XV Makis with a genuine preparation for the 2016 African Cup of Nations.

It will be a great honour for us to welcome you in the purest tradition of the Malagasy hospitality and it will be our duty to make you discover some of the best sights of Madagascar.

This will be an opportunity to share with you a great rugby and human experience that will long remain in our memories.”

Marcel Rakotomalala, Chairman of MALAGASY RUGBY.

Who we are:

The Air Seychelles Mike Ballard Foundation Conquistadors rugby team’s ethos is to have a positive impact on people through Rugby Union.

Originally set up for the Dubai 7s in 2015 to support Mike Ballard, an American national and former UAE Rugby Player of the Year nominee, who suffered a serious spinal injury when playing in 2014, Mike and the team now wish to “help others” through an annual “goodwill” mission.

Our team is made up of players from most rugby clubs in the Arabian Gulf region, including Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai Hurricanes, Dubai Exiles, Jebal Ali Dragons, and Muscat.

The team’s manager, Mike Ballard, will be at the forefront of the Seychelles and Madagascar good will mission – Mike has courageously recently returned to Abu Dhabi to live and work, taking up a place at his old school, the “New England Centre for Children with Autism”, where his teaching greatly inspired the autistic children and their families.

Mike comments on the mission: “This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for everyone involved. It just goes to show what a wonderful rugby community there is in the Arabian Gulf – with the community once again coming together for a good cause, with a bit of rugby thrown in as well.”

The team is coached by former Oxford Blue and Doha captain, Winston Cowie; and Ed Lewsey, current UAE international, former Exeter Chiefs professional and Director of Rugby at the British School of Al Khubairat.

We are “good blokes, with good intentions, seeking good outcomes.”

We are also well versed in sixteenth century Spanish and Portuguese discovery history – particularly in the Pacific and Australasian region. A learned bunch, the Conquistadors should be able to answer any queries you may have about the age of discovery – the opening of the maritime trade routes. Feel free to test us!

The Mission

Enroute to Madagascar, we are stopping over in Seychelles, and with the support of Air Seychelles, will be gifting a number of new wheelchairs to support Seychelles Hospital, in addition to donating rugby kit to the Seychelles Rugby Union.

We have chosen Madagascar to tour because it is a country that is rugby mad (with the third highest number of registrations in Africa), and because the majority of rugby playing children (90%) don’t have access to rugby uniforms and gear.

To give further context, Madagascar is a developing country where nine out of ten people live on less than two dollars a day. It is also a country in which rugby is the national sport with over 48,000 participants, and with a national team, the Makis, who are ranked 41st in the world.

We want to do our best to not only distribute jerseys and wheelchairs, hold rugby coaching clinics and play a rugby match against the Makis; more importantly – we really want to establish meaningful relationships between clubs and schools in Madagascar and the Arabian Gulf region.

Sponsors – Air Seychelles, Hill International, McGettigans, Kukri, Alec – Building Excellence, Live Nation Middle East, Khansaheb, and Go Sport!

We are incredibly grateful for the kind sponsorship of the Air Seychelles Mike Ballard Foundation Conquistadors by:

Primary sponsor: Air Seychelles – an Etihad Airways partner.

And:  Hill International Claims Group, McGettigans, Kukri Sports, Alec – Building Excellence, Live Nation Middle East, Khansaheb, and Go Sport.

Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of primary sponsor Air Seychelles comments:

“Air Seychelles is very proud to be part of this initiative which will make a positive impact in the lives of many people with disabilities which depend upon wheelchairs for their mobility. As the national flag carrier of the Republic of Seychelles, we are pleased to be able to play a role in facilitating these very much needed equipment for patients, both in Seychelles and Madagascar. At the same time, this project has a twofold purpose, promoting healthy ways of living through sports, which is another area of focus of our airline.”    

Thank you Air Seychelles, Hill International Claims Group, McGettigans, and Kukri Sports for all for making this wonderful initiative possible!

More details on our fantastic sponsors are provided below.

We need your help! We aim to gather at least one full set of second hand junior rugby kit from most of the rugby clubs and rugby playing schools in the Arabian Gulf – jerseys, shorts, socks, boots, and balls for between U8s and U14s. We would like to go to Madagascar with enough kit to gift two full sets (one U8 and one U14) to each rugby club and school we visit – with seven clubs and three schools currently in the programme.

If you, your club or school has kit that could be donated, we would be grateful to hear from you. It all helps!

On the day of the ‘exhibition match’ there will be a curtain raiser 7s tournament held amongst the rugby clubs and schools that we have distributed the kit to – schools and clubs – we can put you in touch with your new brother club or school in Madagascar!

If you are a school or a club member and want to get involved, please contact the most relevant of our Air Seychelles Mike Ballard Foundation Conquistadors to you. Club focal points are as follows:

• Abu Dhabi Harlequins:

o   Graham Murphy. grmurphy@tcd.iev

o   Edward Lewsey: ELewsey@britishschool.sch.ae

• Abu Dhabi Saracens:

o   Steve Hamilton. stephen@adsjuniors.com

• Bahrain:

o   Sam Wilson. samwilson1@live.co.uk

• Doha:

o   Aaron Palmer: aaron.palmer@aspire.qa

• Dubai Hurricanes:

o   Andrew Powell: andrew.powell@tpmena.com

• Jebal Ali Dragons:

o   Andrew Carpin: Andrew.carphin@alshaya.com

• Dubai Exiles:

o   Kristian Stinson: Kristian@studioem.net

• Muscat:

o   Ross O’Loughlin: rolocky@hotmail.com

General Enquiries and Media

For general “good will mission” enquiries or media queries, please contact Winston Cowie: winston@winstoncowie.com

Sponsorship Enquiries

For additional sponsorship queries, please contact Conor Coakley: ConorCoakley@hillintl.com

Sponsor Information

https://www.hillintl.com

McGettigan’s at the Al Raha Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi has become an instant hit with local ex-pats and saw over 900 guests arriving to the launch night on May 2014. Dennis McGettigan spotted the demand for the pub in Abu Dhabi after speaking with guests in the Dubai pubs who told him that they happily make the journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai by taxi, simply to have a pint.

Unique décor, delicious Irish food & drinks, the best Irish and international entertainment and sporting events are the ingredients that have made McGettigan’s Irish Pubs such a success in the United Arab Emirates.

http://www.mcgettigans.com/

The DNA of Kukri Sports dates back to 1979, when the British Army Gurkhas and RAF joined together to create a stronger rugby club, the Flying Kukris. Our mission from the outset was to give clubs a choice, an identity, and for them to be proud of their team colours.

Chris Marshall, General Manager of Kukri Middle East, and one of the goodwill mission squad, comments:

“Mike Ballard is a close friend of mine that I played alongside with Abu Dhabi Harlequins. It’s a real privilege for my company to be involved with fund raisers and events such as the Conquistadors that support his foundation.”

http://www.kukrisports.ae

ALEC is the preferred contractor of choice for the execution of major, complex construction projects. The company started in the UAE in 1999, with a firm vision to raise the level of design and construction services and we currently operate in UAE, Oman and Qatar. ALEC has delivered developments of the highest quality to key clients many of which have become significant landmarks. The scope of ALEC’s projects includes: airport terminals, themed projects, hotels, retail developments, commercial buildings and residential.

http://www.alec.ae

Khansaheb Civil Engineering L.L.C. was founded in 1935, making it the longest standing contractor in the United Arab Emirates.

Since then Khansaheb has developed into the highly respected company that it is today – a company renowned for professionalism, integrity, high quality and reliable delivery, and ultimate customer satisfaction, with experience across all building and infrastructure sectors.

In partnership with the UK’s Interserve since 1981, Khansaheb provides a combination of local knowledge and experience, management expertise and a professional service supported by international management systems and procedures. This partnership has enabled Khansaheb to become one of the leading construction and Facilities Management companies in the UAE, providing whole-life sustainable solutions for building and infrastructure projects from initial business case, through design, procurement and delivery into ongoing aftercare – creating, constructing and maintaining physical assets that underpin the fabric of society.

For further information, please visit:

http://www.khansaheb.ae

“Since 2007 GO Sport Middle East, under the Al Mana Fashion Group, has been bringing the latest trends in sport apparel and equipment to the urban consumer across the region, whether they are sports fans or players.   GO Sport also ensures that the selection in store is built around quality products in both the technical and lifestyle categories.  As a  leader in sports,  GO Sport takes pride in providing sponsorship and assistance within the respective sporting communities as well as raising funds for various charities and/or causes.”

http://www.almana.com

Watch this space for more information on the Air Seychelles Mike Ballard Foundation Madagascar and Seychelles Rugby Goodwill Mission 2016.

The ‘Goodwill Mission’ Squad will be named shortly.

72 days to go.

Onwards!