Jeremy Manning missed a penalty from right in front of the posts at the death as Abu Dhabi Harlequins gift-wrapped victory for Dubai Hurricanes on a thrilling opening night of the Sport360° UAE Premiership.
Manning’s miss handed Canes a 16-15 win and left the majority in the crowd at Zayed Sports City scratching their heads as to how exactly the player-coach had not won them the game.
Although let off the hook, the win was just reward for the visitors and new coach Ross Mills following a second-half turnaround.
Andy Powell scored all of his side’s points as Canes stormed back from a 12-3 half time deficit to start the season on a high.
With defences on top early on, it looked like it was going to take something special to break the deadlock and local lad Adel Al Hendi provided it with a scintillating opening try in the 16th minute.
Full-back Matt Hawley made a darting break and the pacey winger still had work to do when he received the pass, throwing a mesmeric dummy to Canes’ full-back Andy Longley that put him clear.
Fly-half Powell knocked over a penalty after 23 minutes to put Canes on the board.
Manning missed a straightforward penalty to extend Quins’ lead, but he was pulling the strings in a first half the home side dominated.
Quins went over again before the break, prop Graham Murphy credited with the score which was converted by Manning.
If Canes had been sluggish in the first half, they certainly turned up in the second.
Firstly, Powell showed signs of what was to come with a searing break in midfield, before he got his side back in the game in the 51st minute when he intercepted a pass to run in from 40 metres.
He converted it brilliantly from out wide to bring Canes to within two and they went ahead for the first time just before the hour when he kicked a penalty.
He and Manning exchanged penalties to leave the visitors 16-15 in front before Manning was offered the chance to win it after Canes failed to clear away from a ruck.
Manning, who had quarterbacked the entire game for Quins, fluffed his lines and Canes celebra-ted.
Their coach Mills, who led Jebel Ali Dragons to a treble last season, said he thought his side deserved the win. “He (Manning) doesn’t usually miss them so he’s let us out of jail, but in all honesty if we’d have lost that game it would have been an injustice,” said Mills.
“I felt we outplayed them today, it sets the benchmark for us and it will tell people maybe they shouldn’t just look at Quins and Dragons as Premiership winners. I want to keep the trophies I won last year.”
Disappointed Quins coach Manning refused to dwell on his miss or be too dismayed by an opening day defeat. “Yes, I’m disappointed but as a coach I’m pleased with the way the team is going,” he said.
“I think there’s more positives than negatives.” He singled out teenage winger Al Hendi. “He was fantastic and it makes me happy to see young guys stepping up to the plate and playing senior rugby,” he said.
