Exiles take Round 1 in 2024-25 Battle of the Sevens

Exiles’ Shane Weweje looks like he enjoyed the humidity on Pitch 6 at The Sevens Stadium

Sevens Stadium bragging rights were up for grabs on Friday night when the Exiles made the annual trip through the bottom floor of the Players’ Clubhouse to Pitch 6 at the home of the Emirates Dubai 7s to play their ‘away’ fixture against the Hurricanes. It was a much anticipated fixture with the Dubai Hurricanes being the chart toppers of the West Asia Super Rugby and UAE Premiership tables.

Match referee, JP Clements

Exiles’ Captain, John Donnan, gets ready for a lineout

Wins over the Dubai Sharks, 32 – 0, and the Jebel Ali Dragons, 22 – 41, had propelled the Hurricanes, who are celebrating their 25th anniversary this season, to the top of the Gulf rugby charts. Such was the anticipation around the visit of the Exiles to Pitch 6, West Asia Super Rugby broadcasters, Sportainment, had scheduled the game to broadcast, live, through the free Sportainment app.

The UAE‘s most capped international, Jaen Botes, plucks a ball from the air

In the UAE, at this time of year, we’ve become very accustomed to conditions that make for wonderful, and hugely entertaining, running rugby. The temperature has normally fallen and humidity a fairly distant memory. However, on Friday evening at The Sevens it was warm and the humidity was high, very high. After 10 minutes of rugby both teams looked like they’d just finished an hour long swimming session in the Olympic size pool at Hamdan Sports Complex.

Centre, James Crossley, waits for the ball to clear the pile up

The opening exchanges were a cagey affair that were dominated by two highly motivated, and fierce, defences.  When a door looked like it might be slightly ajar it was slammed shut, by both sides, with more than a little enthusiasm. Hard carries were met with hard tackles, time and time again. Exiles‘ Duane Aholelei, was the first to breach the canary yellow coloured defence.  A tip pass from Exiles‘ captain, John Donnan, had put the Tongan international prop through the line but at the ensuing ruck the ball, already behaving like a bar of soap, was knocked on.

The first try of the match went to the visitors. A ‘hands in the ruck’ penalty awarded to the men-in-black allowed fly-half, Lewis Burns, to send the ball deep into Hurricanes‘ territory. Hooker Moeneeb Galant was accurate in his lineout delivery and sent flanker, Epeli Davetawalu on the front foot eating up the yards. Second row, Shane Weweje, was the next to carry but stopped just short of the line.

Referee, JP Clements, awarded a scrum to the Pitch 6 visitors just 5 metres from the Hurricanes‘ try line. Exiles‘ scrum half, Jamie Troup, fed the ball and did well to avoid the temptation of lifting it away from the feet of Exiles‘ Number 8, Jaen Botes. The Exiles‘ scrum was moving its way forward and when the time was right, Botes placed the ball for the first try of the game. Converted by Conor Kennedy. 0 – 7 to the Exiles.

Exiles‘ and UAE Hooker, Moeneeb Galant

Exiles and UAE Head Coach, Jacques Benade, has a lot on his mind

Exiles‘ Head Coach, Jacques Benade, would have been relieved to see the Exiles‘ scrum getting some dominance. With so much expected from the Exiles‘ scrum the first couple had been inauspicious and resulted in penalties to the hosts.

With the game still in an arm wrestle, the Hurricanes handed the visitors their first lucky break of the match. Second row, Leneve Damens, was given a yellow card by the TMO for a high tackle during an Exiles‘ attack giving the visitors the momentum they were looking for.

Shane Weweje all set to go up

Lewis Burns ready to send a penalty to touch

With a huge territory advantage building in the Exiles‘ favour, the men-in-black were becoming guilty of overplaying when simple and direct would have been the order of the evening. Dropped passes when unnecessarily looking to play wide in wet and soapy conditions was causing a lot of frustration.

It was the Hurricanes that practically gifted the Exiles‘ their second try of the game. After knocking the ball on in the Hurricanes‘ 22, the hosts, a man down in the pack due to the yellow card, opted to go with a seven man scrum. The Exiles‘ pack didn’t need a second invitation. When Hurricanes‘ scrum half, Andre Gerber, fed the ball in the Exiles‘ eight smelt blood.

They shifted into a low four wheel drive gear and splintered the Hurricanes‘ scrum forcing a knock-on from Hurricanes‘ Number 8 and captain, Ruan Steenkamp. With everybody expecting the Exiles to try and bulldoze their way over from the ensuing scrum, Jamie Troup fed the ball, picked it up, and took off down the blind side. An easy draw and pass on the last defender and wing, Michael Stubbs, was left with nothing between him and the try line except for soaking wet air. 0 – 12 to the Exiles. Half Time.

Exiles‘ flanker and UAE Captain, Matt Mills, must have heard a call in Klingon

Just two minutes into the second half and the Hurricanes were down to fourteen players for the rest of the game. Hurricanes‘ lock, Leneve Damens, was again investigated by the TMO for a high tackle, this time on Exiles‘ fly-half, Lewis Burns. The tackle looked clumsy rather than malicious, but with the onus on the tackler to ensure a safe tackle height for all involved, referee JP Clements was left with no alternative but show a second yellow card and send Damens for an early shower.

The first Exiles game to be streamed on the new Sportainment platform

UAE tighthead prop, Riaan Barnard

Lewis Burns‘s head must have been okay. The Scottish fly-half who used to play for Watsonians RFC in Edinburgh, kicked a superb penalty to put the Exiles back on the offensive just outside the Hurricanes‘ 22. Moeneeb Galant delivered the throw for John Donnan and friends to get some momentum in a maul and head towards the try line.

Brought to ground just five metres out, Matt Mills was the first to pick an go, followed by Pieter Killian who’d not long entered the field of play. A couple more pick and drives from Shane Weweje and Jaen Botes, before Jamie Troup sent the ball to centre James Crossley.

Lewis Burns must have thought Christmas had come early when Crossley drew the attention of four Hurricanes‘ defenders. Jamie Troup to Pieter Killian and the deftest of passes from the South African prop put the Scottish Number 10 through the hole and unopposed to the try line. 0 – 17 to the Exiles.

Conor Kennedy looking for a hole in the Hurricanes‘ defence

Michael Stubbs gets bundled into touch

With the seventeen point lead, the Hurricanes permanently reduced to fourteen players, and penalties flowing the way of the visitors, Jacques Benade began to ring the changes and give a rest to some of the players who’ll be wearing the UAE shirt against Zimbabwe on November 5th.

Handre Snetler had come on in place of Lewis Burns at outside-half and manoeuvred the Exiles into the Hurricanes‘ 22 through a series of penalties. The Exiles were again on the attack but after moving the ball out to the right, UAE international centre Liam Caldwell, was bundled into touch and the chance was gone. It wasn’t quite the end of the play for Liam. Hurricanes‘ fullback, Aaron Dubois, gave the Exiles‘ centre a celebratory shove which Liam will no doubt be keen to discuss with him when they travel to Thailand to represent the UAE at the Asia Rugby Sevens in November.

David Gairn on the charge

The Exiles‘ fourth and bonus point try came at the mid point of the second half. A Hurricanes‘ lineout didn’t travel the prerequisite five metres and the Exiles had a free kick in the Hurricanes‘ 22. Dave Gairn was the first to chance his arm, carrying the ball hard into the Hurricanes‘ defenders. Anthony Kapp, who caught hold of a sweet tip pass from John Donnan, was brought down four metres short. It was tighthead prop Duane Aholelei who picked the ball up from the back of the ruck and powered over the line to score. Converted by Francois Myburgh. 0 – 24 to the Exiles.

Duane Aholelei put in another huge shift

Ruan Steenkamp picks out his next target

With 15 minutes left on the game clock, Exiles flushed their bench, for all the will in the world the game looked safely beyond the reach of the hosts.

How wrong an assumption that was. With the clock ticking down the Hurricanes had their first meaningful attack in what felt like an age. Dave Gairn was sent to the naughty chair for ten minutes for putting his hands in a ruck. The tap and go, a couple of pick and goes, and scrum half Andre Gerber sniped over to score a try for the Hurricanes. Converted by Andre Gerber. 7 – 24 to the Exiles.

That pit of the stomach feeling arrived for the Exiles, both on and off the field, just a couple of minutes later. The Exiles‘ defensive line had completely evaporated. The Hurricanes, now with their tales up, finding space all too easily. Francois Myburgh sent the ball long to Hurricanes‘ fullback Aaron Dubois. A long pass to Dom Williams, a step, and the Hurricanes‘ wing found himself in acres of space.

When Williams was finally brought to ground Hurricanes, and former Abergavenny centre, James Coulton had the strength to wrestle over the line despite the attention of Exiles‘ back row, Matt Mills. Converted. 14 – 24 to the Exiles. Final Score.

Epeli Davetawalu takes a well earned rest

Exiles and UAE loosehead, Pieter Killian, was part of the Exiles‘ bomb squad

Stephen Ferguson tried to do cause as much chaos as possible

DUBAI HURRICANES VS DUBAI EXILES RFC

West Asia Super Rugby  / UAE Premiership (25th October 2024) – The Sevens Stadium