UAE Conference preview: Saracens target top half finish

Matt Jones - Editor 10:17 18/09/2014
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  • Optimistic for the new season: Saracens are determined to do better this term.

    Abu Dhabi Saracens are determined to rid themselves of the ‘whipping boys’ tag that dogged them last season, ahead of the new Conference campaign which kicks off on Friday.

    UAE rugby’s second-tier league contains 12 teams, including several new sides looking to make an impact, and a very competitive campaign is being predicted. Basement boys Sarries won just once last season but are determined to banish the perception that they are just a social club.

    Press officer and 2nds player Adrian McGearty said: “We’re desperate to change that mindset and we want the team to be a competitive entity. We were the whipping boys last year but we’re hoping to give a better account of ourselves this season. We had a lot of promise but we failed to deliver.”

    "We’ve trained very hard over the summer and we’re optimistic. A few new recruits have come in and competition for places will be a lot stronger.”

    McGearty believes the title will be wide open, adding: “Dubai Hurricanes and Jebel Ali Dragons will be the favourites but new boys Heartbeat Tigers and the Sharjah Wanderers could be dark horses.

    “Al Ain 2nds are a new team and it will make for a more competitive league; no-one will take the title fight easily.

    “As for us, we hope to be in the top half and challenging for honours and make up for last time.”

    The most intriguing fixture of the opening day, meanwhile, is surely the Al Ain Amblers derby, with the second team making its debut.

    Chairman Andre Fourie is adamant the club is in the strongest position it has ever been, and said: “In previous seasons we’ve had around 40 players registered, this season we have 55, so the club is really thriving.”

    Fourie is also hoping that the 2014/15 season will be a case of third time lucky after back-to-back defeats for Al Ain in the UAE Conference Cup final the last two years.

    Al Ain are very much a rainbow nation of a club, with a host of nationalities representing the Amblers, among them Canadian, American, Samoan, Fijian, Lebanese, English and Scottish, and Namibian Fourie is hoping both teams can inject some colour into the league this year.

    “The first team have dreams of stepping up to the Premiership next year," said Fourie. 

    “Meanwhile, the second team are a mixed bag as there are a lot of new players there. The aim is to give them games and hope they compete. They’re quite confident and hope to beat one or two teams.”

    Saracens will be hosting a fans day to commemorate their first home game of the season.

    There will be an after-match function taking place at Al Ghazal, where fans and players will congregate and enjoy a BBQ, courtesy of Springbok Butchery.

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