Following Abu Dhabi Saracens’ Gulf Top Six double over neighbours Harlequins, the balance of power in the capital city may just be shifting.
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Sarries were given a stern test last Friday at Al Ghazal, but battled to earn a spirited 34-26 win. The victory, their seventh in a row in the Gulf Top Six, maintained their 100 per cent winning record in the UAE rugby season’s biggest competition. It also meant they have now beaten fierce rivals Quins home and away.
The first game, at Quins’ Zayed Sport City home in January, was a milestone in the club’s history, yielding a maiden victory over their opponents.
Even though some may have labelled it a false dawn, this second win could herald something much bigger – the emergence of Sarries from out of their big brother’s shadow.
Club president Dave Jackson, who created Sarries, spoke of his pride after last Friday’s win. “We’re proud. As a club we’re only four years old, so it was a big and a proud moment for us,” he said.
“In the first game, the Quins were off with the boot on the day. Had they not been, then this would have been our first win. It’s a proud moment because today we won outright. The scores are on the board for the first game, but today I felt we really won it.”
Having been at Al Ghazal from the very beginning, Jackson admits Sarries’ form this season and completing a double over Quins feels significant.
He added: “It does feel special. When I started the club four years ago, we came out in the conference league and got a lot of knock for being the second club in the city.
“In the second year, we got promoted to the Premiership; which was massive. In the third season, we qualified for the Gulf Top Six and in our fourth season we’re leading the Gulf Top Six. So to see all that, the blood, sweat and tears, it’s all worth it. “While the players are doing it on the pitch, what people don’t see is the effort off the pitch and behind the scenes. It’s [the effort] been phenomenal and is the real strength of the club. It’s amazing and such a joy for me to see this.”
Even though Sarries’ win last Friday means Quins have an almost impossible task trying to win the treble this season, Jackson believes his club’s development is good for the future of rugby in Abu Dhabi.
“Dubai has always been dominant, it has so many clubs,” he said. “But I’m sure in years to come there will be a third and fourth club coming out from Abu Dhabi. It’s nice to see the balance of everything shifting to Abu Dhabi. “As far as Andy (Cole, Quins chairman) and I are concerned, it’s a proud moment for rugby in Abu Dhabi.”