Jacques Benade, the UAE coach, is calling for improvement from his side after they made a false start to the Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) in defeat to Hong Kong.
The national team had entered the tournament on a wave of optimism. They finished second last year for the first time in their history.
That was the incentive for a vastly improved programme as they prepared for this year’s ARC, which carries with it a qualifying place for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
They played two Autumn Test matches, against Zimbabwe and Germany, and preceded this tournament with a tour to Kenya. Hopes were high that they could push for top spot, and a trip to Australia for the World Cup.
But Hong Kong are the favourites for qualification for good reason. They have won the past five ARCs. Previous to that, they were runners up four years in a row against Japan, who have since switched from Asian competition to play more fixtures against Tier 1 nations.
And Hong Kong showed their class straight from the off, as they outplayed the home side in a 43-10 at The Sevens, Dubai, on Saturday.
The difference in quality was laid bare at set pieces. The UAE were penalised at the vast majority of scrums, while the tourists established the lead via two push over tries from line outs.
The frustration for the home side was the fact there were positive moments which showed they could compete with their well-drilled visitors.
They made an alarmingly nervy start, but Gerard Pieterse, the debutant full-back, snapped them into action with a crunching, try-saving tackle on Alexander Post, the Hong Kong hooker.
Brad Janes, the Jebel Ali Dragons flanker who was outstanding on his UAE debut, scored the try his performance deserved.
The UAE were within touching distance at that point, at 15-10. When they then botched a golden chance to go into half-time 22-17 behind with an attacking scrum underneath Hong Kong’s posts, the game went away from them.
“We are all disappointed,” Benade, the UAE coach, said. “Looking at the boys in the dressing room, their heads were down, and I don’t think we played as well as we could.
“We are better than that. Given how hard we work for everything, that was just not good enough for us. We should be better, and there will be a lot of hard work this week.
“We need to be honest with ourselves, and there are no more excuses. We need to step up as a group and play better rugby next week.”
The national team travel to Incheon to face South Korea next Saturday. Their ambitions will likely now be revised down to a runners-up place, which would keep alive their World Cup qualification hopes.
The second placed side in the ARC will enter a play-off system which concludes with a week-long tournament in Dubai in November. The winner of that will also make it to the World Cup.
The Koreans began their tournament with a thrilling 38-34 win against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday. Benade knows a big improvement needs to be made if they are to take points in Incheon, particularly at scrum time.
“They [Hong Kong] were very good up front,” Benade said. “They will have known from last year we do put an emphasis on our scrums. It was something that didn’t work tonight and we have three sessions to fix that.
“We have seen that if you can’t get good set-piece ball, you can’t play rugby. From the start, we made mistakes. From the kick off, we couldn’t get the ball away.
“It was completely different to what we have been practising over the past five weeks, and then you realise the boys are under pressure.
“It is hard work, and we need to get it fixed. We need to get them to believe they can compete against boys like that.
“They are a very good side, but we showed what could happen when you put them under pressure.”
Joshua Hrstich, the Hong Kong captain, said his side were satisfied with their opening day win, in which they ran in six tries to one by the UAE.
“We are pretty excited to get out of the desert with maximum [points] and get our campaign off to a good start,” Hrstich said.
“Pressure is a privilege. We are taking this tournament one game at a time. You just have to watch the Korea-Sri Lanka game to see that everyone is dangerous. We are taking no one lightly.”
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Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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