Abu Dhabi Harlequins and Dubai Exiles set for the latest installment of their enthralling rivalry

Matt Jones - Editor 15:51 14/03/2018
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  • Stephen Ferguson says Exiles will head to Bahrain buzzing from their semi-final triumph.

    Craig Nutt admits Abu Dhabi Harlequins can’t afford to dwell in despair after they relinquished their grip on the West Asia Premiership last week – with the latest installment of their rivalry with Dubai Exiles taking place on Friday.

    The two foes clash in the UAE Premiership Cup final – a new competition for the 2017/18 season, akin to the West Asia Premiership Cup.

    And with Friday’s final, a semi-final in the West Asia Cup and UAE Premiership decider all to look forward to in the coming month, there’s still plenty of silverware to play for, and Nutt admits Quins must pick themselves up.

    “To be honest the game last weekend was out of our hands and we just had to do our job which we did,” the Welshman said of the Premiership’s grand finale.

    Quins beat Dubai Eagles but saw their hopes of retaining their title dashed as Jebel Ali Dragons gained a thrilling bonus point win in Bahrain, which gave them the title by just a point.

    “We’re really looking forward to this weekend. It should be a really good game like the previous two meetings.”

    A thrilling finale to the Premiership has made for a magnificent start to 2018 domestically, with four teams battling for the title meaning every week has brought some exciting showdowns.

    Craig Nutt (r) celebrates a try for old side Saracens against Quins in 2014/15.

    Craig Nutt (r) celebrates a try for old side Saracens against Quins in 2014/15.

    And showdown is a fitting word to describe the relationship Quins and Exiles enjoy with one another.

    Dragons may have been crowned Premiership champions, but it is Quins and Exiles who have been the UAE’s leading two teams in the intervening years between Dragons’ back-to-back trebles.

    There have been some epic encounters between the pair – not least their two Premiership encounters this season, with Exiles going down 29-25 at Zayed Sports City in November before exacting revenge at The Sevens in a thrilling 37-30 win last month.

    And there will surely be a few more in the coming weeks, with the duo not only facing each other on Friday, but also in the West Asia Cup semi-finals on March 23 and the UAE Premiership final on April 13.

    And despite losing their West Asia title to Dragons, Nutt and Quins will relish the chance to still be going for three titles.

    “We want to win every game we play in and the next few weeks there are three trophies up for grabs and we will want to win them all if possible,” said the former Abu Dhabi Saracens prop, whose side have the advantage of playing Friday’s final at their home of Zayed Sports City.

    “But we know that would take a huge effort from the whole squad but that will be the focus and the target. We are playing the best teams in the region in the next few weeks which all the boys at the club will relish.

    “We play Exiles this week and we will focus on that game and then move on to the next one.”

    It’s been a frustrating few weeks for Exiles despite leapfrogging Bahrain on the final day a week ago to finish third in the Premiership. They earned a bonus point win but did so via a forfeit from Sarries – the second time the Al Ghazal club pulled out of a fixtures with Exiles this season, meaning the teams never actually faced each other in the Premiership this term.

    Jacques Benade is looking forward to putting the Saracens debacle behind him and the club.

    Jacques Benade is looking forward to putting the Saracens debacle behind him and the club.

    Head coach Jacques Benade admitted he had been forced to bite his tongue at the time, but now he is looking forward to Friday.

    “That’s in the past now. Friday’s UAE Premiership Cup final will be a great way of getting game time as last week’s game against Saracens was forfeited, again, and we also had no game the previous week due to a free weekend,” said the South African, who is clearly excited ahead of the final.

    “There has been a lot of chat regarding fixtures, how hard it is to keep the continuity going if you play one game, two weekends off and then a game again.

    “But the boys are just keen to get out there and play a bit of rugby to be honest, and with a cup to play for, even better. The players really stepped up from January, working really hard on the training pitch and are very exited to be involved in all of these games.

    “We have one or two injury issues but are looking forward to a great game of rugby.”

    And the South African is hoping the final lives up to the previous Premiership encounters.

    “The last match between us was great and to be fair it’s been like that for the last three years so I am sure it will be great again,” said the former Emerging Springboks star.

    “I am just so proud of our boys that we are now at the end of the season and we are in two finals and also in the West Asia Cup semi-final.”

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