Al Ain: UAE rugby coach Roelof Kotze is looking to move on from a disappointing show in the Asian Sevens Series with success at this weekend’s Al Ain Sevens.
Having finished last in all three stages of the recent continental competition, the UAE are now hoping to bounce back with a good result in Al Ain, which serves as a seeding tournament ahead of the Olympic pre-qualifiers for developing Asian nations in Chennai, India, in March next year.
The top team from Chennai makes it through to Asia’s final 12, from which one team qualifies to the Olympics and three runners-up enter a cross-continental play-off.
Kotze realises Rio 2016 is an unlikely dream, but they still want to be part of the final 12.
“It’s important to show what we’ve learnt during the Asian Sevens Series and implement that to establish ourselves this weekend,” said Kotze, whose side will be up against Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Lebanon and Afghanistan.
“We need to prove we belong among Asia’s best and not in the leagues below. We’ve been targeting this tournament to do well in for some time and we hope to win.
“I’m never one to be too confident but I’m confident with our preparation and believe we are as ready as we have ever been. The bounce of a ball or the call of a referee can decide a game of sevens and the other teams are all at our level, so it won’t be easy, but we will pull out all the stops.”
