Harlequins ready to deliver ahead of UAE Premiership final

[email protected] 07:59 30/10/2014
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  • Spectacular journey to the final: The young Harlequins squad has been told to go out and enjoy themselves in the final on Friday night.

    Ross Mills and Jeremy Manning have stressed the importance of seizing the day as Dubai Hurricanes and Abu Dhabi Harlequins prepare to face off in the Sport360° UAE Premiership final.

    The top two sides will battle for the right to be called champi­ons when they clash at 7he Sevens tomorrow (Friday) night.

    Canes coach Mills tried to play down the occasion as “another game of rugby” but admits to feel­ing he still has a point to prove and so do his players, after they lost in the final to Jebel Ali Dragons, his former team, last year.

    Quins coach Manning has told his young squad to go out and enjoy the game and try not to let the moment slip through their hands.

    Canes topped the Premiership with four wins from five games but Harlequins’ journey to Dubai this Friday has been truly spectacular.

    They lost their opening Premier­ship game to Canes 16-15 and fol­lowed that up with a 19-17 defeat to Dragons – both games lost late on.

    They won their next three suc­cessive matches though and Man­ning thinks the character his young side have shown already stands them in good stead for the final.

    “We’ve done well to climb back up to get to the final from where we started the season,” he said.

    “We were a bit nervous before the third game, after losing our first two, but we’ve shown we can come back and from the start we’ve built up a bit of belief.”

    Manning believes Quins are the underdogs.

    “They’re top dogs. We lost to them on the first day and they’ve been the most consistent team. They’re a fantastic side and it’s going to be a massive game.”

    He is especially proud of his young players, although Emirati teenager Adel Al Hendi will miss the game due to national team duty.

    “They (youngsters) have to enjoy themselves and try not to let the moment pass them by.”

    Mills, meanwhile, admits the final provides a chance for some of his team to make amends for last year’s loss.

    “About 60 per cent of this team were losing finalists last year and I think that pain has made them hun­grier.

    “They let themselves down last year and they’ll still have that defeat on their minds.

    “This club has been trophy-less for three years now, that’s too long.”

    Despite winning the treble with Dragons last year, Mills feels he still has a point to prove.

    “Everyone knows where I’ve come from. I do still feel I have a point to prove, but I’m my own worst critic. I would love to achieve a back-to-back treble.” 

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