Let the games begin!

SPORTS-LOVING Owain Maele has given up life 'puttin' on the Ritz' for the rough and tumble of driving forward one of the expat havens of Bahrain, writes ASMA_SALMAN.

To some, his move from being the director of the sports club at the exclusive Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa to accepting a position as the general manager of Bahrain Rugby Football Club (RFC)_might seem a slip down the corporate ladder.

But the British expat is relishing his newfound role at the popular sports facility near Janabiya.

Owain, 36, originally from the quaint English market town of Hereford, moved from the small Caribbean island of Antigua, where he was director of operations at a sports and health club, to join the premiere five-star hotel in the kingdom in November 2008.

"My position at Ritz-Carlton was my first job at an international luxury chain hotel and although it was a great position I felt that I needed a new challenging role where I could really get my teeth into things."

Love also played a part as his fiancŽe, Gemma Ellen, is currently working at the hotel as its director of human resources, Owain thought it best to look for a new challenge before they tied the knot next month in New York.

Bahrain RFC has proved to be an ideal place for Owain, the very first general manager of the club, who feels that at times a 16-hour day passes with a blink of an eye as the facility prepares for international standing by staging one of the biggest rugby sporting events ever to be played in Bahrain.

"When you enjoy what you do then the hours are immaterial," said the Mahooz resident who is a certified fitness instructor, sports therapist and coach. His job satisfies the sportsman in him and fulfils his personal and professional aspirations.

Owain gets his hands dirty (and feet wet) during his daily involvement at the club with regular swim coaching to members and their families. He has also completed his level one and two rugby coaching courses since he started working at the facility in September.

The ambitious and challenge driven general manager is also at the helm of affairs as the popular expat club readies itself to host the Asian Five Nations World Cup Qualifier next May - the biggest rugby event ever staged on the island. Bahrain RFC won a bid to host the game between Arabian Gulf and Hong Kong and according to Owain, it is a challenge that the club is determined to meet.

The sports centre is heading for a major boost in its facilities that will raise its profile on the island and will bring the facilities on par with rugby and football clubs internationally. The match will be televised on Gulf and Asian sports channels with the possibility of it airing on the Euro Sports network too.

"A lot of work needs to be done on the pitch before the match. The lights have to be changed, a new electronic scoreboard will be put in, temporary stands to accommodate around 2,500 rugby enthusiasts and organising a two-day long rugby festival are some of the challenges that we have to tackle head on.

"Two international teams will be playing on our turf and we need to be ready with the best facilities and to bring the club up to the mark."

Bahrain RFC has already added a third grass practice training pitch, an additional 100 car parking spaces and improvements to its changing rooms and restaurant is underway.

The club has come a long way from its humble beginnings as part of the British Club facilities. In 1977, it moved to Saar and later in 1995 it unveiled its present premises.

The club comes under the umbrella of Goys (General Organisation for Youth and Sports) and Owain serves as a link between the sports committee and the club.

"At present a total of seven sports - rugby, football, Gaelic football, netball, Aussie Rules, cricket and swimming - are played at the club and everybody comes here with a common denominator - which is either to play or to watch sport. People come here in groups to have fun and that is the purpose of a community club. We are a member's club with a multi-cultural membership and aim to remain just that."

Bahrain RFC currently boasts three successful rugby teams of its own: Riffa Views Bahrain 1st XV, Fairblogs and Golden Olders that regularly travel around the Gulf to play matches.

John Sutcliffe, chairman of the Bahrain RFC and managing director of Air Rianta International Middle East, said: "The club is approaching its 40th anniversary and has grown quite considerably in size and scope. So, in order for it to keep developing we decided that the club needed a professional who would be able to offer expert coaching and manage the club successfully."