Organised and led by Gulf player Marcus Smith, the team features a mix of Exiles regulars, former standout players for the club as well
as a number of invited guest players from around the region. Smith has recruited into his ranks former Scotland Sevens speedster Charlie Keenan now employed with the AGRFU Gulf 7s and 15s Representative Omani Taif Al Delamie and Adam Savage who enjoyed a very successful season with Gulf Premiership winners Abu Dhabi Harlequins. Ayman Razek the former Blackheath and Gulf player will also lace up his boots for the first time this season and will be joined by Exiles regulars Rohan Fisher, Brett Williams, Sam Eid, Stu Quinn, Gareth Armstrong, Derek Murray, Jamie Gray and Jon Beeton. Thirty-six teams will contest this years Ten’s with organisers relocating the event to the FIFA standard Surakhul Stadium in nearby Phuket Town. Clubs from the Gulf, Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and throughout Asia will be in attendance all looking to take top honours. For the Exiles, they will be hoping that the seven members of the squad who recently helped take out the Manila Ten’s title can repeat their winning efforts in Thailand as they did in the Philippines. The tournament which features a men’s and veteran’s competition is tightly contested but also has an important role to play in raising money for charity.
Last year the 2008 Phuket International Rugby Tens raised close to Dh70,000 for the Ronda Butler Memorial Fund which is devoted to helping orphans. Money raised last year equates to funding 85 orphaned children on full educational scholarships for 12 months.