UAE U19s can emulate seniors and reach Division I

Matt Jones - Editor 22:59 11/12/2016
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  • After seeing their senior counterparts catapulted back into the upper reaches of Asia rugby earlier this year, the UAE Under-19s will be aiming to follow in their footsteps at the Asia Rugby Under 19 Championship in the Philippines this week.

    Apollo Perelini led the senior UAE side back into Division I of the Asia Rugby Championship in May with crushing 63-13 and 70-18 wins over hosts Uzbekistan and Thailand respectively.

    Division I is directly below the top tier ARC contested between top Asian nations Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, and the UAE will have an opportunity next year to re-join the elite for the first time since being relegated from the Asia Five Nations in 2013.

    The U-19s begin their own quest for promotion to Division I on Wednesday when they face Singapore at Manila’s Southern Plains Stadium, and vice captain Xander Crockart admits they will use the senior side’s success as a blueprint.

    “That is 100 per cent the goal and I have no doubt that we can achieve it,” said 18-year-old Dubai Exiles flanker Crockart, who leaves for Manila with the rest of the squad early this morning.

    “The boys are up for it, we’re really feeling a buzz between the players heading out on tour. There is no doubt we have got the team for the job, and will happily enjoy ourselves with this opportunity.

    “By that I mean we can really make a name for the UAE, showing the diversity of culture and skill we have in the squad. Training’s been sharp and we’ve been ironing out the details for attack and defense.”

    Crockart will act as right-hand man to club-mate Nathan Appleby who is the UAE’s captain for the tournament, which kicks off on Wednesday. Should the UAE win their match with Singapore they will face either the hosts or South Korea in the final on Saturday with a place in Division I up for grabs.

    It’s been a glorious year for Crockart so far, claiming the club’s young player of the year award after being part of the senior Exiles side who won the 2015/16 West Asia Championship and UAE Premiership double.

    He started this season playing for the second team but has worked his way back into the first 15 and was part of the squad that won the Gulf Men’s League Plate competition at the Dubai Rugby Sevens earlier this month.

    UAE squad: Nathan Appleby (captain), Xander Crockart (vice captain), Liam Benstead, Jerry Kilicanasau, Ratu Leveanasiga, Hendre Venter (all Dubai Exiles), Nawaf Al Balooshi, Mohammed Al Marar, Ryno De Bruyn, Sunia Laladidi (Al Ain Amblers), Oakley Mellish (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Jonathan Rath, Ben Van Rooyen (Arabian Knights), Ali Sajwani (UAE Shaheen), Rory Arthur, Toby Hodges, Max Johnson, Jesse Te Waharau, Mark Tilbrook (Dubai English Speaking College), Kipngeno Chirchir (Dubai College), Joseph Riley (Jumeirah English Speaking School), Khalifa Al Maazmi, Charlie Biddle, Francois Pieterse (Dubai), Sidhant Mehra (Dubai Wasps)

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