DUBAI // Fiona Scally, the Abu Dhabi Harlequins captain, hopes her side can add another item to the club’s bulging trophy cabinet at the finale to the women’s season on Friday.
The capital outfit have already won the UAE Women’s Cross Border League, clinching the title at Sharjah Wanderers two weeks ago.
Scally says that success will be forgotten when they line up for finals day at The Sevens, though, as they bid to claim the season-ending tournament to their club’s enviable haul.
“It is business as usual, with the only difference being we will be playing against some sides we haven’t played against before,” Scally said.
“On any given day, at any tournament, a side can play out of their skins and come out of nowhere to win, so all tournaments are different.
“This was our first year winning the league outright, so we are delighted with that, but (Friday) will be all to play for again. It will be a battle, and we won’t be complacent at all.”
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Their male colleagues have won all the trophies available to them so far this season, namely the Western Clubs Champions League and the Dubai Rugby Sevens.
With six weeks remaining in the West Asia Premiership season, Mike McFarlane’s men are in pole position to win that, as well as the UAE Premiership.
“The men having been doing fantastically well, they are undefeated and have won everything so far,” Scally said.
“We have a great ‘one club’ ethos, going from the men right down to the junior section, the vets, everything. We don’t feel pressure at all, we get great support from the men and vice-versa.
“It is great to have that standard to live up to. We want to win to keep the trophies coming in to the club, not that there is competition between us.”
The only major trophy to have evaded Quins so far has been the women’s title at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in November.
The champions of that, Dubai Hurricanes, host Friday’s season finale, and are likely to be the biggest challengers to Quins again.
Sian Williams, one of the two co-captains of the Hurricanes, said winning the Dubai title on Pitch 2, in a final against Heartbeat Tigers, was the highlight of her two years of rugby in the UAE.
“Out of everything I’ve done out here, that weekend is the best weekend by far,” Williams said of the Sevens.
“The crowd, the music, the time of day – playing that final was brilliant. We had worked so hard and we were so focused. For it to pay off, and to win again, was brilliant.
“I didn’t know what the standard would be like till I turned up for my first training session at The Sevens, but I have been really impressed.
“With the opposition that we face, each tournament is very tough. We have had a lot of new players start this year, but they have progressed so much.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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