The Kingdom of Bahrain has grown to be home to hundreds of thousands of expats over the years. While Bahrain has proven to be a safe haven for all, being in a new and unfamiliar country has its challenges. That’s where social clubs like Bahrain Rugby Football Club come in; the sports-centric social club has proven to be a ‘home away from home’ for members since its establishment in 1971. Strolling through the sprawling social club in Janabiyah, it’s hard to believe that the club had its humble beginnings as a section of the British Club in 1971. “Bahrain Rugby Football Club became its own entity in 1974 when it took up a perimeter of the ground at the Bahrain International Airports Muharraq Runway,” states BRFC President, Michael Stapleton. Sports At the Heart of It All Over the years, the club has grown and expanded, finally settling in its current location which most people recognise. The BRFC has a number of pitches, netball courts, cricket nets, a sports hall, gymnasium and a 25m swimming pool aside from the hospitality venue, Mano’s, and children’s play area too. “Our main operations revolve around sports; we run cricket, netball, football and badminton, with rugby being the priority, of course! We’ve also had the Bahrain National Cricket team come out here to practice on the grass pitch,” says Mr. Stapleton, adding that the club aims to nurture the presence of sports in the Kingdom through collaborations with the community. The club has participated in and hosted several matches over the years. In fact, BRFC won the 7s Plate Championship in Hong Kong in 1978. The team then consisted of Richard Turnball, Grant Haskell, Phil Griffiths, Richard Duck, Ross Aldrige, Fred Simmons, Michael Stapleton, Jeff Evans and Dave Billington, and was managed by Bill Tyler. “It’s a team sport, you cannot play on your own so you create life-long bonds – they become your best mates. So, a number of ex-players and supporters all stay in contact with each other,” says Mr. Stapleton. The club has roughly 100 people training for Gaelic football which has grown tremendously over the last six or seven years, with the team travelling for matches too. “We have a set of nets and on average we have about 120 players from the social clubs and select schools who train here at times. We also host schools’ sports days, camps, tournaments and more,” says BRFC Chairman, Mike Cunningham. Building a Community As the popularity of the club grew over the years, so did the number of members. “We currently have 4210 members, including adults and children from 63 nationalities. We also have over 65 staff members,” says Mr. Stapleton. With regards to membership at the club, priority is given to families and those who participate in sports. “Sports is a big thing and many people came here to play sports, but what we’ve really done is focus on the families by giving them a nice safe environment to socialise in. Being at BRFC, people could relax knowing that their kids would be safe: that they would not be able to leave the area or have outsiders enter the club,” says Mr. Cunningham. “Younger kids also have access to the children’s play area and facilities like inflatable castles while games are on so people could come watch the game,” he adds. BEING A GOOD SPORT! Bahrain Rugby Football Club (BRFC) has been one of the most popular expatriate clubs in the Kingdom for over 50 years. Farah Baig speaks to the BRFC Chairman, Mike Cunningham, and BRFC President, Michael Stapleton, about its success in the past and plans for its future. 36 February 2022 www.bahrainthismonth.com interview
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