Fit-again Adel Al Hendi eager to make up for lost time at Quins

Matt Jones - Editor 21:36 27/07/2015
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  • Big season ahead: Adel Al Hendi (l).

    Adel Al Hendi believes his injury woes of last season are behind him and he is looking ahead to the 2015/16 campaign with Abu Dhabi Harlequins and the UAE.

    The winger, who was named Emirati Player of the Year at the inaugural UAE Rugby Annual Awards in 2014, enjoyed a flying start to last season, scoring a try on the opening day of the UAE Premiership season against Dubai Hurricanes.

    Al Hendi went on to lift the Premiership and Dubai Sevens trophies with Quins, but missed the whole of the Gulf Top Six campaign with a groin injury as they missed out on a treble. The 20-year-old admits he was naive with managing his body last season, but with his injury behind him, can’t wait to get going for both club and country.

    “This is the most excited I’ve ever been for a season,” Al Hendi said.

    “Quins are looking unbelievable, I don’t even know if I stand a chance of getting in the team but I can’t wait to get back.”

    Al Hendi injured his groin in the second Premiership game of the campaign against Abu Dhabi rivals Saracens but completed the Premiership season and then played at the Dubai Sevens in December.

    “Last season started really well but then I kind of faded out,” said Al Hendi. “I had a groin problem and I didn’t manage it very well, but it’s sorted now, I know how to manage it but last season I kept on trying to come back and I played through it.

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    “It was never going to be a case of me waking up the next day and it being better so I’ve learned to be more disciplined, to rest and recover and look after my body properly. I’ve had it for 10 months so now, if I get injured again, I’ll stop and fix it.”

    Al Hendi is currently training with the UAE Under-20 sevens team as they prepare to jet out to the Far East for two tournaments in August.

    They head to Malaysia on August 7 for a tournament between August 16-17, going on from there to Hong Kong for another two-day tournament between August 22-23.

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