With many people heading home hoping for some snow and dreaming of turkey with Christmas approaching, all Robbie Cameron and Gareth Venter want under their trees are a perfect record going into 2017.
Dubai Exiles 2nds and Jebel Ali Dragons 2nds meet at The Sevens Friday with the only two 100 per cent records of the UAE Conference season on the line.
Dragons, last year’s beaten Conference finalists, are top of the early season table with seven wins from seven having scored just shy of 300 points so far.
They travel to rivals Exiles, who have been in stunning form themselves. They trail Dragons by five points having played a game less, with six wins from six, although they have incredibly shipped just a miserly 11 points.
With no game for their stacked first team this weekend, Dragons coach Robbie Cameron said he had the option of bringing in several players to bolster Dragons’ ranks, though fly-half Dan Bell is likely to be the only one.
“We’ve got a strong side, my problem was choosing to keep players from the ones putting their hands up, and being loyal to boys who have got us to seven wins from seven,” said the Scotsman.
“That’s what I’ve done. We’re not bringing any regular first team players. Dan Bell’s started once or twice and has been on the bench for the firsts so he’ll come back in, but we’re certainly not loading the squad. We are still strong without doing that.
“It’s still pretty much the second team, and we know the Exiles will be the same. It’s shaping up to be an absolute cracking game.
“I want to stick with the boys that got us here, it has to be that way. We’ve got guys like Sammy Ewing not getting in, he’s got a UAE cap, and Ian Overton left us and went to Hurricanes, he didn’t play for us. We’re recruited pretty well which has helped because all sides are stronger.”
This Christmas cracker is set up nicely between the league’s strongest sides with Dragons having three more games left and Exiles four before the Conference splits into the Top 6 and Bottom 5 in the new year.
Exiles coach Gareth Venter has bemoaned the loss of several players who have already joined the Emirates exodus for Christmas, while six players are missing as they are in the Philippines on international duty with the UAE Under-19 side.
“It’s difficult this time of the year with many boys away already on holiday but it should still be a good game,” said Venter.
“There’s just been an exodus – most of our teachers all out of town and six of our U-19s that usually start for the seconds are on UAE duty.
“I believe it will be a tough battle upfront and whoever controls the breakdown will have ball to put away the backs – of which both teams have pace and skill.”
