Matt Mills, the UAE captain, said it felt “bittersweet” after the national team came within a converted try of claiming their biggest ever scalp.
The hosts lost out 26-20 to Germany in the second of their November Test matches at The Sevens, Dubai, although the scoreline told little of the excellence of the UAE.
The national team were giving up 19 places in the world rankings to their guests, and were coming off a chastening loss to Zimbabwe earlier in the month.
Their task was made even tougher when they were reduced to 14-men after just 22 minutes.
Despite playing three-quarters of the game with a numerical disadvantage – and for 10 minutes within that they were even down to 13 – they performed admirably.
“I think it is bittersweet because if we had had the full complement of 15 men for the full game, it could have been a different story," Mills said.
“With that one extra man and everyone stepping up an extra 10 per cent, plus to be down to 13 at one point, to still only lose by six [was a fine effort].
“We were on their five-metre line, then made a few mistakes. It is small margins at this level, and it cost us. At this level, the opposition will punish you, and they did. They deserved the win, but we could have had it.”
The UAE held the lead at the start of the game when a fine pass by Andrew Semple, the Abu Dhabi Harlequin who was playing in an unaccustomed role of No 10, freed Sakiusa Naisau to score in the corner.
Once Aaron Dubois, the Dubai Hurricanes wing, was shown a red card for dangerous play after getting his timing wrong contesting a high ball, the visitors gradually assumed control.
They were 21-13 up when Conor Kennedy – who was also blemish-free from the kicking tee as he landed 10 points with the boot – scored the UAE’s second try.
While Jaen Botes, the UAE No 8, was in the sin bin, Germany – who are ranked 32 in the world – scored another try, only to see it chalked off on video review. They did stretch out their advantage to 26-20 when Felix Lammers, the German wing, found space to score his second try.
The hosts had their chances in the remaining 20 minutes, and spent much of the last 10 inside the German 22, but the away side held on for the win.
Although it was a second defeat in less than two weeks, the performance was a vast improvement on their 62-22 loss to Zimbabwe, and provides reason for optimism, according to Mills.
“Taking on boys who are 20 places above us is where we need to be,” the UAE captain said.
“We need to be playing these teams because it makes us step up. We didn’t perform as well as we wanted to against Zimbabwe, and how we knew we could.
“We came out today flying. We felt we needed to show everyone what we can do, and get back to UAE rugby and start playing a bit. We did that.
“We are happy with the performance, but we are not happy that we didn’t get the win. We know that is down to discipline on our part.”
Jacques Benade, the UAE coach, said he felt the loss to Germany represented a missed opportunity.
“We can be so proud of our performance,” Benade said. “We worked so hard, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and the boys had the right attitude.
“We wanted to put a performance up. We are not disappointed but maybe it was a chance that slipped away. With 14 players, the heart they showed was unbelievable. We should be proud of the boys.”
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The cost of Covid testing around the world
Egypt
Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists
Information can be found through VFS Global.
Jordan
Dh212
Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.
Cambodia
Dh478
Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.
Zanzibar
AED 295
Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.
Abu Dhabi
Dh85
Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.
UK
From Dh400
Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
