The Dubai Exiles ‘Braidy Bunch’ almost topple The Emirates Dubai Sevens Champs in UAE Womens’ 7s Series

Estelle Galloway has a pretty decent hand off

Dubai Exiles Ladies almost took the scalp of the reigning Emirates Dubai Sevens Champions in the opening match of the weekend’s UAE Women’s 7s Series in Ras Al-Khaimah on Saturday afternoon.  The opening game of the A League pitted the Dubai Exiles Ladies against the Dubai Falcons.

Charlene ‘Chazzie’ Moore moves the ball along the line

Morgan “I used to be a gymnast” Gladden scored against Abu Dhabi Harlequins

The Dubai Exiles Ladies came within a whisker of taking the scalp of the Dubai Falcons Ladies in their opening match. Tries from Amanda Hameon, Emma Ash and Amy Eaton with a conversion from Estelle Galloway had had given the Exiles’ Ladies a 17 – 12 lead over the Falcons with less than minute left on the clock. But a heart breaking breakaway try from the Falcons and a conversion with the last kick of the game saw the Emirates Dubai Sevens Champions home by 19 points to 17.

Amy Eaton gets over the try line

Emma Ash score the Exiles’ Ladies second try

Estelle Galloway kicks a conversion

The second match for the Exiles’ Ladies was Abu Dhabi Harlequins. The Exiles’ Ladies had battled to a pool match win over the same opposition just two weeks earlier. That time they also had a couple of the Exiles‘ Under 19 Girls in the squad, Femke Soens and Lara Botha, both of the girls had featured heavily in the Exiles’ Under 19 Girls squad that had won the Emirates Dubai Sevens in December.

Amanda Hameon heads to the try line

UAE International, Robyn Etherington, was a nuisance to defences all day

When the final whistle blew the Exiles’ Ladies had crossed the try line 3 times and Exiles‘ Fatima Al Balooshi had kicked 3 conversions. 21 – 7 to the Exiles’ Ladies.

The less said about the match with the Dubai Hurricanes Ladies the better! Back to back games had taken their toll and a tired Exiles’ Ladies team went down 38 – 0 .

It was a repeat of the previous third place play-off between Abu Dhabi Harlequins Ladies and Dubai Exiles Ladies again. Two weeks earlier the Exiles’ Ladies had run away with the same fixture and when Taya Chase opened the scoring for the Exiles it looked like it was going to be a similar story.

Nadine Fourie encourage Robyn Etherington

Emma Ash had a great tournament

When Amanda Hameon scored her second try the match, it was pretty much game over. The Exiles’ Ladies had had confirmed 3rd place and despite the disappointment of getting so close to turning over the Dubai Falcons – had enjoyed themselves having a lot of fun in what had been a great afternoon of UAE Women’s 7s Rugby.

UAE WOMEN’S 7s SERIES

RAK Rugby Club (5th March 2022)