The Jebel Ali Dragons picked up a bonus point win to stay hot on the heels of the Abu Dhabi Harlequins after their 36-27 victory over a spirited Dubai Exiles team.
After some early struggles, including a 47-0 hammering at the hands of the Harlequins, the Exiles have impressed in recent weeks and put in their best performance of the Gulf Top Six tournament on Friday night.
Jamie Anderson, Michael Stubbs, Alex Bailey and Michael Sole all scored tries to earn a bonus point for the Exiles, who impressed coach Jan Venter.
While the talk amongst the Dragons was of a new-look Exiles team, including two teenagers in Janneman Venter (16) and Greg Newman (17), Venter insists the Exiles are doing nothing different, they simply are doing what they always have, just better.
“We played to our game plan, we wanted to start with our forwards and spread it wide,” said Venter. “Our centres did very well, we had Janneman, my son, on the wing tonight, we had a 17-year-old in with Greg Newman, who came on for Michael Stubbs when he got injured.
“(The game) was a club effort and nothing else. The young players came up, they train with the first team so they knew what to do. At the end of the day the players must enjoy their rugby and we showed that tonight.”
Dragons coach Shane Thorton and captain Paul Hart were also all praise for the Dubai team. Sean Combie, Ewan Kelly, Tafe Delaney, Ali Common and Andy Russell – who also had three penalties and one conversion – all made it over the try line in a win that keeps the Dragons within a bonus point win of the Abu Dhabi Harlequins, who they play next week.
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