Abu Dhabi Harlequins captain Billy Graham has set his sights on UAE Premiership glory this season, with the fixtures for the domestic campaign released today.
Quins enjoyed a fantastic campaign last year with success in the Gulf Top Six, but missed out on local bragging rights as Dubai Hurricanes took the Premiership crown.
That was at the tail end of last season, but after a reshuffle of the way the game across the UAE and the Gulf is structured, they will kick off the new season with Premiership duties.
And the capital club have been busy ahead of the new campaign, starting pre-season training over two months ago and adding former Munster and Newcastle Falcons utility back Jeremy Manning to the squad.
Graham believes the addition of the New Zealand-born 26-year-old can only help the club. “It’s a brilliant added bonus for us coming off the back of a good season, and having someone of Jeremy’s quality join us can only benefit the players and the coaching staff,” he said.
“Things are really coming together now. We’ve had a lot of guys away through vacation and work, but everybody’s coming back and sort of starting where we finished last year.”
Indeed, with the added expertise Manning brings to the Quins, Graham is certain they can go one better this year and seal the Premiership crown.
He added: “Definitely, without a shadow of a doubt we’ve set our targets. As a team and a collective group we know what we want to achieve this year and obviously winning is what we’re setting our sights on this year.”
The new season marks the second for Quins under the stewardship of Director of Rugby Chris Davies and his assistant Kieran Blogg. His first season in charge could not have gone much better for the Welshman, who arrived in the UAE having worked with London Wasps as Independent Schools Officer.
And Graham was full of praise for the effect Davies and Blogg have had on the club. “The guys are all on the same hymn sheet now,” he said.
“Chris is obviously a fantastic coach and we learn something new every training session from him, and along with Kieran, who’s constantly getting better, it’s just having a good effect on everyone else.”
For anyone looking to get involved with the Quins’ junior rugby sections, the club will be holding their annual registration night on September 13.
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