Roelof Kotze says the UAE are enjoying the fruit of their labours after they claimed a top six place at the second leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in Thailand.
The national team’s sevens squad reached the Plate final in Bangkok on Sunday, losing 26-5 to China, but it was a weekend that elicited plenty of hope as the UAE dream of finishing inside the top eight in the three-leg series overall.
Achieving core eight status for 2016 would mean the UAE qualify outright for next year’s series, rather than having to rely on invites like they have been.
They are desperately close to achieving their dream, Kotze’s men lie sixth with 11 points after the opening two legs.
After winning the Bowl and finishing ninth in China three weeks ago and progressing to the Plate final and sixth place at the weekend, Kotze says his team are setting high standards for themselves.
“It was a good weekend and we are smiling,” said the South African.
“Our work is starting to bear fruit and we are finally competing as we thought we could.”
The UAE beat the Philippines 12-7 in their opening Pool C fixture on Saturday, which turned out to be good enough to reach the quarter-finals of the elite Cup competition despite a 33-10 reversal to pool winners South Korea in their second game.
That pitted them against superpower Japan in the last eight, a 39-0 defeat there sending them into the Plate semi-final, where they overcame Malaysia 27-14, before sadly being beaten by China.
“The Philippines was a big win and against South Korea we outscored them in the second half, so that was pleasing,” said Kotze.
“It’s always difficult against the top four or five teams because they are either professional or semi-professional. Facing Japan was not the best place to be and they showed their quality, although we gave it our all.
“Against Malaysia, the boys felt we had the better of them and we played some really good rugby to come back from going behind twice.
“With China I think the boys realised that maybe they’re not quite ready for three games in a day. They’re not used to it. At the level we’re at now one mistake costs you and we know we can’t make them.”
Destiny beckons in two weeks’ time in Sri Lanka, with Colombo the venue for the third and final installment of the series, where the UAE will face Japan and Chinese Taipei in the pool stages.
“We have a bit of time to recover and fix things now, then we start from scratch again,” said Kotze.
“Another top eight finish and a Plate final and we will solidly be in the top five or six.
“We are full of confidence and expect to get there, although we know it’s not a given and we have to keep working hard, but we have expectations now.
“Three weeks ago in Qingdao we were Bowl winners. Now we’re disappointed to lose a Plate final and that’s a good place to be.
“We’re not satisfied, we can get better. We are setting our standards high and that’s not just coming from me, but from the players. They want to improve.”
