The domestic rugby season will kick off with the start of the UAE Premiership on Friday, September 28 it was announced in Dubai this morning.

The Premiership will consist of six clubs for the new campaign, with Al Ain and TOA Dubai – now Arabian Knights – dropping into the nine-team Conference, and Abu Dhabi Saracens in only their second full season making the step up to the top flight.

Sarries have been handed a tough start to life in the Premiership as they travel to champions Dubai Hurricanes, while Abu Dhabi Harlequins and Jebel Ali Dragons will renew hostilities at Zayed Sports City.

The other fixture of the opening round sees Dubai Wasps entertain Dubai Exiles.

The six top flight sides will play each other once before a Grand Final on November 9 between the top two sides to decide the overall Premiership champion.

The sides who finish in the top four come the end of the domestic campaign will all qualify for the 2013 Gulf Top Six, which is scheduled to be played in the New Year.

The two teams that finish fifth and sixth will be placed into a new four-team Gulf Conference, against Kuwait and Muscat. Elsewhere, a women’s XV-a-side competition will feature for the first time while girls’, schools’ and a youth league also boosts the calendar.

“We are very excited to see, year by year, the increase in the number of domestic fixtures at all levels” stated UAE Rugby’s Deputy Secretary Qais Al Dhalai.

“We consider strong domestic competitions as being a key building block in improving standards at representative level.”

 

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