Emirati rugby star Adel Al Hendi says it doesn’t matter who pulls on the UAE shirt as long as they play for it.
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The Abu Dhabi Harlequins speedster has echoed his coach Roelof Kotze’s comments by claiming the mixed Emirati and expatriate team that represented the UAE in Hong Kong last weekend was a success.
Promising Emirati youngsters Yousif Lashkari and Saeed Al Kateeri continued their rugby development alongside fellow teenager Al Hendi. They were joined in the squad by Al Hendi’s Abu Dhabi Harlequins teammate Iziq Foa’i as well as Dubai Exiles trio Charlie Sargent, Janneman Venter and Jason Murphy.
“The boys were happy to mix it up and when we put on the UAE shirt it doesn’t matter where anyone’s from, we’re all representing the UAE,” said Al Hendi.
He does feel, though, that wearing the UAE shirt is naturally more special for the Emirati players.
“I was really proud of all the boys but I do think there is a bigger sense of passion when the Emirati boys play,” he said.
“The team was full of outstanding individual players, yet there wasn’t enough time to come together as a squad before the tournament.
“The boys played really well, we just let games slip in the second halves, by a conversion in all the games we lost, apart from the game against China, who we previously beat with six men while I was sin-binned. It’s sad that we missed out on third this year. The games were there for us but we just let it slip.”