Jebel Ali Dragons re-ignite season with 49-34 over Dubai Hurricanes

Matt Jones - Editor 18:11 17/11/2018
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  • Saki Naisau and Canes are on a roll in recent weeks. (Pic by Sam Wainwright)

    Jebel Ali Dragons re-ignited their season with a thrilling 49-34 over Dubai Hurricanes on Thursday.

    The reigning West Asia Premiership champions came into the game second bottom following four defeats in their opening seven games – although they had to overcome late nerves as Canes clawed their way back from a 46-12 deficit at one point.

    This win made it four wins from eight and propelled Dragons above Dubai Exiles and into fourth, one point behind their beaten opponents.

    The 83-point bonanza carried on a theme of high scoring contests in the Premiership this season – Dragons lost to Abu Dhabi Harlequins 38-20, Canes beat Exiles 36-25, Bahrain beat Quins 39-20 and Dragons have beaten Exiles 45-36 in November alone.

    Victory puts Dragons on 20 points, nine behind second-placed Bahrain and 10 adrift of leaders Quins, who leapfrogged Louie Tonkin’s side with a forfeited victory on Friday.

    It’s a boost for Mike Phillips’ men whose 38-20 reversal at title-chasing Quins a week ago had left them fifth, closer to rock bottom Dubai Eagles than Bahrain at the top of the Premiership.

    Eagles, meanwhile, forfeited their scheduled game with Quins at Dubai Sports City on Friday, handing Mike McFarlane’s men an automatic 20-0 bonus point win.

    Thursday’s Dragons v Canes game was the only one to go ahead after Exiles and Bahrain was postponed because of an injury crisis for Jacques Benade’s men.

    It’s a blow to Louie Tonkin’s league-leading Bahrain – sapping their momentum on the final week before the 15s game takes a brief hiatus for the sevens season. The two teams are discussing a new date and hope to play the fixture in early December, the weekend after the Dubai Sevens.

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