Bragging rights for Dubai Exiles after bonus point win against Dubai Hurricanes

Matt Jones - Editor 22:14 06/11/2015
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  • Rinus Bothma was red-carded after just 21 minutes for the Dubai Exiles.

    Second city bragging rights went the way of Dubai Exiles who brushed off Rinus Bothma’s red card after just 21 minutes to record a bonus point win against Dubai Hurricanes.

    South African lock Bothma rightly received his marching orders after a dangerous spear tackle on Canes’ Josh Ives but Exiles hardly missed him, thriving after a lackluster start to beat Canes 39-22 in the Dubai derby at 7he Sevens.

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    Exiles’ hopes of maintaining the pressure on UAE Premiership leaders Abu Dhabi Harlequins going into the mid-season break looked ominous when Bothma saw red with 59 minutes of the contest to go and Jacques Benade’s men holding a slender 11-9 lead.

    However, Michael Stubbs scored a try just three minutes later and the men in black never looked back.

    Exiles skipper Glenn Moore said his side maintaining their intensity was the key to recovering from their early setback.

    “I think the referee made the right decision. I’m not sure what happened to big Rinus, he might have lost the head for a split second and that happens, but fortunately we managed to keep the intensity up throughout the game and fitness was very good,” said Moore.

    “That was the one thing we said. We wanted to keep the intensity high and holes will open. Fortunately that’s what happened. Durandt (Gerber, fly-half) kicked the ball really well and kept them pinned back, and we hung on.”

    Forlorn counterpart Dan Perry hopes Canes will come back from the sevens season refreshed and refocused.

    “They fed off our mistakes and even with them going down to 14 men we couldn’t get it right,” said the Canes captain.

    “We tried to push and force things when they went down to 14 but we didn’t need to. It’s a disappointing loss and hard to take but we have the Dubai Sevens now so we have a bit of a break.

    “It’s a nice break and hopefully we will come back. Get our heads together. Fresher legs, some new personnel and come back with a new outlook on it all.”

    Exiles were slow out of the traps, with Canes opening up a 9-3 lead early on but a slick passing move saw Exiles score the first try, Gerber and scrum-half Ed Armitage sending full-back Ryan Rapello over.

    Then came Bothma’s red, although Exiles were by now up and running and even that didn’t look like derailing them.

    Matt Mills chased a kick through to score Exiles’ third try in the second half before a brief rally saw Canes put their opponents under pressure for the first time, Andrew O’Driscoll’s try reducing the score to 31-19, but prop Kristian Stinson’s fourth try of the season late on sealed an excellent bonus point win.

     
    Exiles coach Benade said losing Bothma galvanised his team.

    “Winning with 14 men and to get a bonus point win is massive,” said the South African.

    “We started slow and I could sense that in the warm-up, the intensity wasn’t there. I think perhaps the sending off galvanised the boys because up to that we were poor. When Rinus went off I think we lifted our game a bit.

    “It’s been a long seven weeks. The boys were tired. The last 10 minutes they were dead so it was a really big effort from the boys and I’m proud of them.”

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