Gulf Top Six round-up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins beat Dubai Hurricanes, Doha brush Dragons aside

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Back to winning ways: Abu Dhabi Harlequins (green) registered their third win on the bounce against Dubai Hurricanes yesterday.

    Abu Dhabi Harlequins’ Gulf Top Six revival continues to gradually pick up pace.

    Jeremy Manning’s men came away with a 25-45 victory against Dubai Hurricanes yesterday, their third triumph on the bounce after two opening defeats.

    History appears to be repeating itself, a similar start to the Sport360° UAE Premiership ending with Quins as come-from-behind champions.

    The champagne rugby from last term’s GT6 campaign – in which they lost the showpiece to Jebel Ali Dragons after finishing top – is just a memory at present.

    The wins chalked up have been bitty, with two-try winger Chris Marshall urging an improvement if a third trophy is to be added to the Dubai Sevens and Premiership successes.

    He said: “The treble dream is still going, by the skin of our teeth.

    “It was a bit frustrating. We started to kick a bit last week against Bahrain, and were really happy with that. This was really scrappy.

    “Canes always put up a good fight and they had some good passages with their forwards. We have got to start getting our structures back.

    “We have standards we want to hit. We know we can play better and have more gears to come.”

    Canes coach Ross Mills fidgeted on the sidelines as he watched his second-bottom side cut apart out wide by their opponents’ superior finishers.

    “We are going absent in defence,” he said after their fourth loss on the spin. 

    “We cannot give teams in the Gulf Top Six 15 or 20 points. You are staring down a double-barreled shotgun then.”

    Tries were exchanged in the first 10 minutes. Lethal Quins winger Matt Hawley finished expertly after outside centre William Umu first broke through, opposite number Mike Rust walking over in an immediate riposte from the restart.

    This was as close as the hosts got. Umu crossed himself in a move instigated by a reverse pass from fly-half Benjamin Santamaria, winger Marshall pounced out wide for the first of a brace and No8 Clendon Pene barreled over from the base of the scrum.

    A penalty try from Canes, even though they were temporarily down to 14 men after No8 Andy Walker was yellow carded for tackling Quins skipper Ed Talbot in the air, sparked hope. This was immediately put out by scrum-half Sam Bolger’s easy score in the space left over on the flanks.

    A disjointed second half began with flanker Josh Ives rewarding dogged forward play from Canes, though Marshall and blindside Tumanako Seymour’s scores soon made it safe. 

    Mills’ men never threatened a comeback – winger Daryl Johnson’s effort from a tapped penalty too little, too late.

    Doha slay Dragons in sweet revenge

    Jebel Ali Dragons (white and red) whitewashed.

    It’s back to the drawing board for Jebel Ali Dragons after their two-game winning run was brought to a halt by a Doha backlash.

    The Qataris responded to last weekend’s first Gulf Top Six defeat at Abu Dhabi Saracens with a 27-0 whitewash of Dragons, although the game had been finely poised at 3-0 at half-time.

    The win saw Doha bounce back from their 39-15 mauling at the hands of Sarries at Al Ghazal last week, but it will have demoralised a Dragons’ side just starting to 
    rediscover their confidence following their thrilling 31-29 win over Dubai Hurricanes last week.

    Stefano Hunt’s sole penalty was all that separated the sides at the interval. Greg Evans, Robbie Gaule and Jamie Clarke went over for Doha, with Hunt adding 12 points with the boot.

    Doha coach Aaron Palmer said: “It was a tight first half and we were into a strong wind but managed to be up 3-0 at the break.

    Both teams cancelled each other out really. We turned with the wind and managed to plug the corners and get valuable territory. We’re happy to come away with a win against Dragons.”

    Dragons’ player coach Murray Strang said: “We soaked up a lot of pressure in the second half. Doha didn’t take a bonus point after putting a lot of points on Quins, Canes and Bahrain and I think that says something.”

    Reeder stars as Sarries come away with win

    Perfect record for Abu Dhabi Saracens.

    Abu Dhabi Saracens retained their 100 per cent start to the season with a dogged 22-8 win over a typically spirited Bahrain.

    Bahrain went toe-to-toe with Ali Thompson’s men and the game was a war of attrition, won in the end by the boot of new signing Elliott Reeder who kicked five penalties and a late conversion for a personal tally of 17 points.

    Thompson said the win proved why the Gulf Top Six is so-called, heaping praise on the hosts who put in yet another decent showing.

    At the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s five wins from five for Sarries who are halfway to a West Asia Cup final spot.

    “It’s half-time, we’ve won five from five,” said Thompson.

    “This game though showed that it’s called the GT6 for a reason. Bahrain were very physical and caused us a lot of problems.

    “They knew what to expect from us, with our forwards, and they fronted up.

    “I’ve been playing in Bahrain since 2007 and if you give them any room they will take advantage, but it was a professional performance from us today.”

    Reeder’s five penalties had the visitors 15-8 up, before Thompson sealed the points late on with a 79th minute try, converted by Reeder. 

    Thompson spoke in glowing terms of inside-flanker Dillon Gage, but there was concern for utility back Jay Danielson who dislocated an ankle in a tackle.

    “Dillon was the Man of the Match, he was fantastic. But our thoughts go out to Jay who is in hospital at the moment,” said Thompson.

    Bahrain press officer Tom Hanratty said: “It was the same old story again. We played well but not well enough by all accounts.”

    Recommended