It seems almost every week you hear a player or coach talk about how rugby in the UAE and the Gulf region is becoming ever more competitive.

It may only be two weeks into one of the Middle East’s premier rugby competitions, but the Gulf Top Six is already proving just how true this has become this season.

– #Quiz360: WIN a six-month Target Gym membership

While Trevor Gregory, president of the Asian Rugby Football Union, said at the Sport360° UAE Premiership final in October he believes rugby in the UAE is in good hands, with more and more Emiratis playing, every UAE Premiership coach has noticed how this season the domestic standard seems to have made a quantum leap. 

Doha have handed out thrashings to Abu Dhabi Harlequins and Dubai Hurricanes – the two teams that contested the Premiership 
final – while Abu Dhabi Saracens are starting to step out of the shadow of their more established city rivals after an impressive end to the Premiership campaign and an even better start to the GTS.

Meanwhile Harlequins, who finished top of the GTS table last season with 10 wins from 10 games, have lost their opening two fixtures of the six-team competition. 

Jebel Ali Dragons, who beat them in the final last April and claimed a second-successive treble, have already lost two of their titles and staged a late fight back against Bahrain on Friday night to save themselves from suffering the same fate, having lost to Saracens in their opening game.

Doha coach Aaron Palmer believes his team’s 41-5 win over Canes at 7he Sevens on Friday will ensure opponents respect his side.

“Coming away and doing this to Canes says something; I’m not sure what, but we’re very happy with the win,” he said.

Saracens centre Steve Hamilton admitted his team now have loftier ambitions than just beating the Harlequins in the capital city derby and want to win the competition, while he also praised Doha.

“Doha are putting down a marker now too and that’s good for Gulf rugby,” he said.

Rather than be intimidated by the rise of other teams, Dragons 2nds coach Mike Lewis and Harlequins scrum-half Ed Lewsey are excited.

Lewis said: “We were in a dogfight against a pretty tough team (Bahrain) on Friday. Doha look something special too and it’s good to see someone from outside the UAE coming in and putting their mark on Gulf rugby. 

“Look how well Saracens are doing too, it makes for a great GTS. 

“Of course we’d like to win the treble again, but it’s not a huge surprise that we haven’t been able to do that. You can’t sustain that level of success for three years.”