Abu Dhabi Harlequins endured yet another slow start but wiped out a half-time deficit to heap more misery on fallen giants Jebel Ali Dragons.
Quins encountered a spirited home side in the first 40 minutes, Dragons leading 7-5 at half-time.
Not good news from JACOE either, where our 1s lost 30-3 to @Abudhabiquins #Dubai #rugby #UAEsport #UAE @GulfRugbyPaper
— Jebel Ali Dragons (@JebelAliDragons) February 27, 2015
The visitors got their act together in the second period, running in four unanswered scores to leave their opponents starring at their sixth Gulf Top Six loss.
These two have been the perennial heavyweights of Gulf rugby, clashing in countless finals for silverware over the last few years.
Last night’s game, however, had a strange feel to it.
Quins could still, mathematically at least, have finished inside the top two of the competition and reached the West Asia Cup final.
Doha’s narrow win over Bahrain ended those hopes, though.
Full time. @doharugby scrape it 27-22
— Bahrain RFC (@bahrainrfc) February 27, 2015
Quins opened the scoring after 12 minutes through No8 Marcos Flores’ try.
Graeme Braybrooke’s conversion of Nick Taylor’s try was the difference until Jeremy Manning’s penalty nudged Quins in front after the break.
Clendon Pene led by example, crashing over from a maul six minutes after entering the field.
Argentine fly-half Ben Santamarina scampered over for another try five minutes later.
The Dragons were buried after an hour when William Umu’s try gave Quins a bonus point.
The misery continues for @JebelAliDragons as they are beaten 34-7 at home by @Abudhabiquins. #GT6
— Matt Jones (@MattJones360) February 27, 2015
Flores was sin-binned for an off the ball incident but being depleted didn’t stop Quins from scoring again, Umu crashing over for his second try.
Quins’ assistant coach Scott Clark said: “It was a comfortable win, but again we didn’t start playing our style of rugby until the second half, so there’s still things to work on in our last two games.”
Quins have been something of comeback kings this year, fighting from two opening UAE Premiership defeats to claim the trophy with four wins on the spin.
They also lost their opening two GT6 games, but Clark said they need to break that habit.
“Slow starts have killed us. You can’t play catch-up rugby week after week,” he said.
Dragons’ centre Taif Al Delamie said: “It really hasn’t been our season this year.
“We wanted two things from the lads today, to play with a bit of character and enjoy our rugby, and we achieved those two things.
“But, we’re still on the wrong side of the scoreline so we’re still not happy.”
Saracens win eighth GT6 game on the trot
Abu Dhabi Saracens are two games away from perfection after they beat Dubai Hurricanes 40-12 to make it eight wins from eight in the Gulf Top 6.
Sarries ran in six tries in all but had to grind out a result against a spirited Canes.
South Africans Pieter Morton and Rhuwan Pienaar both scored a brace of tries, while there was one for Steve Hamilton after he had earlier been sin-binned, and yet anot-her score for flanker Jonny Taylor.
Elliott Reeder kicked five penalties as Sarries actually won for the 11th straight game, counting the last three games they won in the UAE Premiership season.
“It was a good win, a big result in the end, but Canes, as expected, didn’t give up, they played 80 minutes,” said Sarries’ player/coach Ali Thompson.
@SaracensWorld @SaracensUAE Reeder with a sublime conversion to make seal it.The full time score is 12-40 to ADS
— Gameday (@ADSaracens) February 27, 2015
“It was only 14-0 at half-time and they came back at us. We scored six tries, five for our backs, but we had to grind it out.
“There’s a good atmosphere in the team but we keep striving for perfection. We still have lulls in games.”
It doesn’t get any easier for Sarries, who face their sternest test yet away at Doha next weekend.
Doha won their seventh game of the GT6 but had to work mightily hard in Saar to scrape a 27-22 win against Bahrain.
Toby Borrow, Mark Burnell and Adam Wallace scored tries for the hosts, with Aaron McLelland’s brace, Elliot Johnston and Wade Lotter replying for the visitors.
Amblers finally break the jinx to clinch Cup on third try
So often the bridesmaid, Al Ain Amblers finally made it down the aisle themselves as they won the UAE Conference Cup after losing in the two previous finals.
Peter Aki’s men strolled to a 35-15 win over the Jebel Ali Dragons 2nds in on Friday’s showpiece to banish the painful memories of the past two seasons.
The two teams had faced each other in their final match of the UAE Conference Top 6 season the previous week, the game acting as a showdown to decide who would finish first and take home-field advantage for Friday’s game.
That match had finished 30-20 in Amblers’ favour, with the men from the Garden City clinching the win with a late try.
This game was barely a contest, with Al Ain leading 27-3 at one stage early in the second half, and Mike Lewis’ men scoring a try very late to put a little more gloss on their defeat.
“We were in control for most of the game and we really put them away in the first 20 minutes, which is what I had said to the lads,” said Aki.
Congratulations to Al Ain Amblers. Unbeaten all season & now UAE Conference champs. Now they’re truly #invincibles. @GulfRugbyPaper
— The Sporting Wag (@SportingWag) February 27, 2015
“The first 20 minutes of the game and the first five minutes of the second half were crucial.
“The pressure was really on us beforehand, as we’ve lost the last two finals.
“But we didn’t talk about it ourselves, we just did the same as we have for the last 10 weeks and close games out.
“I’m so proud of the boys, as we’ve gone unbeaten all the way through the season.”
The Amblers coach added: “We’ve been bridesmaids a few times but now we’re taking the main honours.”
Meanwhile, in the other Conference final yesterday, Abu Dhabi Harlequins beat Dubai Sharks 31-20 at Zayed Sport City to claim the Conference Plate.
The game was between the sides who finished first and second in the Bottom 6 of the Conference, with Sharks losing for the second year in a row in the final.
Sharks’ forwards’ coach Dan Gawn said: “Quins were the better team on the day and were fully deserving winners.”
