UAE performance manager Duncan Hall was keen to stress on the positives after a disappointing second day at the Shanghai Sevens saw his side finish eighth.
Hopes of a top six place were high after beating Singapore and running South Korea close on day one, but the UAE were unable to recover from a 42-0 defeat to eventual winners Hong Kong, and went on to finish their Pool A campaign with a 45-0 reverse against Sri Lanka.
Those results left Hall’s side in a battle for seventh and eighth with the Philippines, and although they reacted well with tries from Antoine Bertheuil and Jono Bester and an Imad Reyal conversion, it wasn’t enough.
The Philippines rubber-stamped their win, and seventh place, with a late try to run out 24-12 victors. The outcome keeps the UAE in eighth in the overall HSBC Sevens Series table with 20 points.
Hong Kong, who beat hosts China 41-10 in the final, top the table on 31.
UAE performance manager Hall was disappointed with the outcome but was happy to be able to blood four new players.
One of those, the exciting Emirati winger Mohammed Abbas, proved a big miss for the Emirates after he was red-carded in the Hong Kong defeat and banned for the subsequent two games.
“People should come and watch to see what the standard is like, it’s an improving standard and you’re playing against semi-professional teams with organisation,” Hall said.
“Our players are improving, we’re blooding more players and we’re also searching for younger players. So it’s good to have the Mohammed Abbas’ who are 22, the Imad Reyals who are 22 rather than bringing guys into the squad who are 32.
“So, that’s what we’re looking for, it’s building for the future.
“Everyone’s disappointed that there can’t be better results but in the last game, we really played to our ability and that’s all as coaches we can ask.”
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