When you’re looking to see out a tense game with both opponents and teammates losing their heads in the midst of a heated battle, it must be nice to call upon a former Munster stalwart and once-capped Ireland international from the bench.
That was the situation Dubai Exiles head coach Jacques Benade found himself in as he summoned defence coach and Heineken Cup winner Denis Hurley in the final 10 minutes on Friday.
And former Munster full-back, wing and centre Hurley played a pivotal role in helping steer Exiles to a 31-20 win over hosts Jebel Ali Dragons in their West Asia Cup semi-final.
His intuitive cross-field kick late on not only relieved pressure on Exiles, who were lying deep inside their own territory, but found touch within the Dragons 22. Indeed, it was almost caught by teammate Tomas Sackmann for a game-clinching score.
Hurley said of his cameo: “I spotted Tom Sackmann on the wing and he’s bigger than me. I wanted him to get up there and get on the end of it to make it look good. I’m not the biggest kicker in the world so I was quite pleased with that.”
Having been thrown into the fray after both sides had seen a player sent off – Exiles will appeal Jaen Botes’ red card ahead of next Friday’s final against Bahrain – Hurley helped Exiles over the line in a brutally physical encounter in which both sets of players gave it their absolute all.
Dragons’ Niko Volavola on the charge against Exiles in the sides’ West Asia Cup semi-final.
The 33-year-old joined Exiles as their defensive coach last June but revealed he had also registered himself as a player, admitting he had been itching to play throughout the campaign.
“At my age I can still play. It’s in case anyone pulls out injured, I’m always at the games, so why not have it as an option,” said the man who featured in the final of Munster’s 16-13 Heineken Cup triumph over Toulouse in 2008.
“It was good for me to give back to the club who helped get me set up out here. I think that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to have a go out there today. I’ve been itching a few times on the sidelines to get out there so it was nice to help out.”
Hurley, who had previously featured this season for the club’s second team in the UAE Conference, but was making his first team bow, added: “It was hard-hitting and obviously at this point of the season there’s a lot of knocks and injuries. Every team has them.
“Players are getting through 60 minutes and that’s probably as much as they can manage. The bench starts becoming important and with players becoming injured long term it’s up to the likes of me to come in. An ex-professional on the bench isn’t a bad option I guess.
“I played for the twos but my fitness levels aren’t very high.”
He may well have been looking forward to playing a part in Bahrain next Friday as Exiles go in search of the second part of a potential treble – they claimed the Gulf Men’s League title against Dragons at the Dubai Sevens in December and play Abu Dhabi Harlequins next month in the UAE Premiership final.
But Hurley won’t even get to be on the sidelines in Saar. The Irishman, who gained his sole cap for the Men in Green against the USA in May 2009, is heading home to the Emerald Isle after nine months in the Emirates.
“Hopefully they can do the job without me there. I’m not going to be around unfortunately,” Hurley revealed post match.
“I’m moving back to Ireland. It’s a family decision. It just hasn’t worked out for us out here. I’ve really enjoyed the club scene and the guys at the Exiles. It’s been a great time to be part of a rugby club in a different part of the world. Feeling part of something off the field abroad has been great.
“The family hasn’t really settled and the job situation was tough. We made a decision as a family that we’d be better off back home, a bit more support for the little one as well with both of us working, that’s the main thing.
“I’ve been working with a start-up sports academy which is still in the early days of getting up and running. There’s been bumps along the road and it hasn’t been a fluid transition.”
Denis Hurley in Heineken Cup action for Munster.
Despite heading home, moving to the UAE and joining Exiles is a chance Hurley is thrilled he took and something he will aim to take with him in whatever he decides to do in the future.
“I was at the end of my career and had been at one club for such a long time, I just felt I needed a change of scenery, to step out of my own world and tight circles back home,” Hurley, who made 166 appearances for Munster, scoring 16 tries and winning two Pro12 titles in 2009 and 2011, said.
“This was an opportunity and we took a jump at it. I’ve not lost anything coming out here, I’ve gained a lot. A lot of good people have become good friends, I’ve met a lot of good people and I know I’ll always have a place to stay over here if I come out.”
Hurley has no plans yet, adding: “I’ve sown a few seeds, made a few contacts. I’ll take my time. The wife has a bit of work which gives me a bit of time to suss out what I want to do. We’ll see what happens.”
