Tournament Report - U14s in Dubai 13 November 09
Qatar Kentz Mini’s Rugby trips do not usually start with a leisurely 6:00am check in with Qatar Airways but it is certainly appreciated by all involved. The team boarded the plane in their usual high spirits and proceeded to entertain fellow passengers and cabin crew with music played quietly and restrained hijinks. The friendly cabin crew even joined in wearing the Doha RFC collision hats.
We arrived at Abu Dhabi to be greeted by Eddie from the Abu Dhabi club and loaded onto the shuttle bus to head to the hotel where we were able to drop our bags, get something to eat and then head out to the ground for our first match scheduled for 4:38pm.Kick off against Abu Dhabi 2 took place more or less on time and the team was raring to go. Hard running, passing and backing up saw us open up an early lead. Abu Dhabi’s resolved stiffened but with our heads up we were not going to be denied. The final score of 38-0 showed the attitude the team had and would continue through the tournament, Doha is a force to be reckoned with.
Saturday dawned warm and sunny with all the players feed, watered and operating as a team even during meal times. The game against Al Ain was perhaps a little early for such a late night but at 5-5 would have been ours for the taking except for an intercept try. We were in the process of preparing to run round the outside using the overlap created by quick hands and a change in direction when the intercept occurred and, as all who have seen this occur on television know, it is impossible to recover in time to prevent the score. Final score 12-5
Game 3 was against the Hurricanes and again we came out of the starting blocks showing them we had been caught napping (literally) earlier. This round of 16 win put us in the Cup against Exiles 1 and although the nerves were obvious before the kick off once the whistle went the team settled in and played like the champions they are. The level of ability and aggression shown by a team that is thought by many to be the best in the gulf was impressive to watch but Doha kept to the game plan and with ferocious cover tackles and aggressive rucking and mauling held their own. The exiles coach spoke to me after the match and congratulated Doha on an exceptional performance and praised them for holding his team to 17-0.
This defeat put us into the Plate quarter final where we met and dispatched Exiles 4 to meet Exiles 3 in the Semi.
Match fitness is achieved through playing a series of games but preferable over a series of weeks and cannot be achieved playing a series of games over two days, consequently the injuries were beginning to mount. As a coach I do not use injuries as a reason for losing but am conscious of the battering the team had taken before this semi-final and although they played with their, by now, customary skill and aggression the result was inevitable.
The team finished the weekend subdued but happy and proud that they had made the Cup but disappointed at their early exit. Injury toll for 11 brave players stands at 3 sprained ankles, one twisted knee, one broken finger, one sprained finger, one sore shoulder and one mild concussion.
Qatar Airways greeted us on the return leg and treated us like the champions we were.
I personally would like to congratulate the players on being exceptionally well behaved and will be more than happy to take them anywhere.
Best Regards
Colin McIsaac