FRIENDLY RUGBY TEST MATCH

06.04.2012
United Arab Emirates v Tunisia in Tunis (Friendly)

Venue: National Rugby Stadium, Elmenzah

Referee:

Preview
The United Arab Emirates will play their first test of the season against Tunisia in Tunis. In addition the side will play the UAE Barbarians on Friday 13 April.

The UAE will participate in the Asia Five Nations tournament for 2012. This is the premier division of Asian rugby. Their fixtures in this tournament will be..
27 April v Hong Kong in Dubai
5 May v Japan in Japan
11 May v Kazakhstan in Dubai
26 May v Korea in Korea

This is the first time these two teams have met. Arabian Gulf, the former union of the area, played Tunisia in 2010 in Tunis, losing 22-25.

GWC Rugby Rankings
Tunisia does not rank on the world table whereas UAE does.

Tunisia appears on the IRB rankings but UAE does not due to the fact they have yet to play 10 test matches.

Prediction: Tunisia by 20 points

Teams

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

 

15		Joel Pikari	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
14		Sean Hurley	Dubai Dragons
13		Imad Reyal	Dubai Exiles
12		Andrew Russell	Dubai Dragons
11		Mohammed Alsulaiman	Dubai Wasps
10		Murray Strang	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
9		Patrick Hegarty	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
8		Brett Williams	Dubai Exiles
7		Samuel Cook	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
6		Alistair Thompson (Capt.)	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
5		Simon Osborne	Dubai Hurricanes
4		Gregory Thompson	Dubai Hurricanes
3		Daniel Boatwright	Dubai Hurricanes
2		Jonathan Greenwood	Sharjah Wanderers
1		Graham Murphy	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
16		Charles Lilley	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
17		Christopher Jones-Griffiths	Abu Dhabi Harlequins
18		Tristan Barnett	Dubai Hurricanes
19		Mohammad Hassan	Dubai Wasps
20		Abdulla Alnuaimi	Dubai Wasps
21		John Fawls	Dubai Exiles
22		Steve Smith	Dubai Hurricanes
		HEAD COACH: Duncan Hall

Ten new caps
Murray Strang, Patrick Hegarty, Joel Pakari, Charles Lilley, Jonathan Greenwood, Brett Williams, Mohammed Alsuaiman, Andrew Russell, and from the bench Tristan Barrett, Abdulla Alnuaimi.

http://www.uaera.ae/english/representative_teams.php?news_id=617

 

Tunisian squad not yet available.