UAE performance director Roelof Kotze is confident of an improvement in the upcoming Al Ain Sevens after admitting the final leg of the ARFU HSBC Asian Rugby Sevens Series “didn’t go as well” as hoped.
The third and final event was held in Beijing’s Chaoyang Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. The national side repeated their 12th-placed finishes from Hong Kong and Malaysia, losing 38-5 to Thailand and 50-7 to South Korea in Pool C, 45-5 to Singapore in the Bowl semi-final and 53-0 to Malaysia in the 11th/12th place play-off.
The UAE had the lowest average age in the competition at 19 after naming a squad that was depleted because of mandatory military service and injuries.
“It didn’t go as well as we hoped it could have gone,” Kotze said. “Some of our players didn’t really live up to what I’d hoped they would do.
“But that is how it goes. Maybe it was an off day. I was really upset we didn’t score in the last game. We had opportunities, as it would have been a big thing to score in every game as we hadn’t done that in any of the other tournaments.
“It is an improvement, as it means we are doing some things right in attack. The systems are coming together and I think we are moving in the right direction there.
“It wasn’t our best tournament, so now we have to prepare to improve in the upcoming Al Ain tournament.
“Maybe, it was a bit much for some of the young guys we brought across. One or two of them stood up and said ‘I am good enough’, while others showed we need to do a bit more work with them.”
The players regroup for two camps in the coming weeks before the pivotal Al Ain Sevens, which runs from October 31 to November 1. This will act as a seeding competition for next year’s Chennai Sevens.
The winner of that makes Asia’s final 12, with the best side then qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Kotze is looking forward to Al Ain, his hopes boosted by being able to select from a deeper pool of players.
He said: “We are all systems go to, for the first time this season, pick a side we want to pick rather than one who can travel. We are really hoping and planning for Al Ain to have our strongest possible team on the field.
“Of the guys I want, there are a good three or four who will become available. That is great news for us.”
