Dubai Exiles desperate to stay in title hunt as they take on Dubai Eagles

Matt Jones - Editor 01:18 18/01/2018
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  • Eagles fly-half Sean Carey.

    Dubai Exiles take on Dubai Eagles on Thursday night knowing a bonus point win against a team they torched 85-8 on opening night will catapult them back into the title picture.

    A week ago Exiles were seven points off third place. But maximum points against Eagles at home this evening would see them leapfrog Bahrain into third, putting them a few points off the loser of the big top of the table clash between Jebel Ali Dragons and Abu Dhabi Harlequins on Friday.

    After their return to 15s action last week was postponed due to Abu Dhabi Saracens failing to raise a team, coach Jacques Benade insists his team are desperate to get back to action – having only played one game of rugby in the last three months.

    “After the disappointment of not playing last weekend I think everyone at the club can’t wait to get the second round of the league going,” said the South African, who missed Exiles’ narrow 29-25 defeat to Quins on November 3 due to work commitments.

    “We just want to go out there and play some rugby. It’s been a few months without a 15s game so we will be very rusty but also buzzing to go and play. We just need some game time and to go out and enjoy ourselves.”

    The UAE fixture list is always convoluted and subject to change from season to season. But Benade believes it needs addressing for the 2018/19 campaign.

    He added: “I think it is important that the UAE Rugby Federation look at the fixtures for next year and sit with the clubs and see how we in the UAE can make sure that it’s better organised.”

    Despite the anticipation of returning to action, Exiles are hampered by several serious injuries. Second row lehan Koekemoer has undergone shoulder surgery and will be out for the season, as is livewire winger Jerry Kilicanasau due to a dislocated shoulder.

    Ex-Sarries full-back Thinus Steyn, meanwhile, is also out after suffering an unspecified injury last week in training.

    And despite the scoreline the last time these two sides met, Benade is not expecting a similar outcome.

    “I know the Eagles missed players last weekend and didn’t perform as well as they wanted to, but I know they will be keen to put that right tomorrow night,” said Benade, who bemoaned wasted chances in earlier, narrow defeats to their big rivals this season.

    “We created a lot of changes against Quins, Dragons and Bahrain to win those games but were not patient and clinical enough, and that is something we really need to focus on in this second part of the season.”

    Eagles fly-half Sean Carey insists his side are a different prospect to the rag tag bunch that turned up for their maiden game as a fledgling club just four short months ago.

    “We’re looking forward to tomorrow,” said Carey, a former Exiles player.

    “We’ve played everyone so we’re back around again. Exiles put a lot of points on us at the start so we know where we are now as a team, we know what every team has to offer too.

    “We’re a bit light on numbers, a few players injured. We have a massive squad but some of our first team players are injured. We’ll give it a good go. We’re targeting the next few weeks with a big few games coming up.”

    Elsewhere, Sarries welcome Dubai Hurricanes to Al Ghazal, hoping to earn their first win of the season following seven straight defeats – the latest of which was consequence of a forfeit after canceling last week’s fixture against Exiles.

    For Canes coach Mike Wernham, the buzz word has been accuracy in training this week.

    “December 14 seems like a mighty long time ago,” said Wernham, referencing the last time Canes played, a 30-13 defeat to Dragons.

    “We finished that half of the season with a lot of disappointment. We played some really good stuff against Dragons for 20 minutes, unfortunately we overplayed a bit and made some errors, let the game go.

    “We’ve been back for two weeks and there’s definitely been a little added aggression and we’re looking forward to getting back out there again. We’re away at Sarries and targeting a bonus point win. We know we need to stretch ourselves.

    “It’s been the hardest selection for the coaches with a month off and training numbers good.”

    Having put in a lot effort so far this season, with little to no reward, Wernham is hoping the tide can change for his side.

    “We know we have a big second half of the season,” he added.

    “We’re hoping we get a little bit more now. We’ve been putting in the effort and made huge strides. It’s now up to the boys to perform.

    “There’s been so many games the boys could have won against the four teams ahead of us. We’re hoping more things now come in our favour.

    We need to get out there and put the words into performances, less talk and more action.”

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