DUBAI // Bruce Birtwistle, the head coach of the Arabian Gulf, is unlikely to be much closer to answering the first major conundrum of his reign following this weekend's Gulf league matches: namely, who will he play in the pivotal position of fly-half for the regional side in this summer's Asian Five Nations campaign?
The New Zealander oversaw the Gulf's promotion back into Asian rugby's premier competition, during his first assignment since taking over the coaching post last summer.
Luke Sinclair, a convert from rugby league, orchestrated that Division One success from No 10, but the injured Australian playmaker is certain to miss this summer's campaign.
The Queenslander suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament while on duty for the Exiles at the Dubai Rugby Sevens last month, and will undergo surgery in the coming days.
While Birtwistle has an array of fine options in the midfield, the cupboard of fly-halves who are eligible under the three-year residency qualification, is bare.
The leading No10s in club rugby, such as Andy Russell, the Dubai Dragon, Bahrain's Dan Bell, and Murray Strang, of Abu Dhabi Harlequins, are all relative newcomers to the region.
Paul Beard, the Abu Dhabi-born Dubai Exiles player, did the job for some of the Gulf's inaugural Five Nations campaign two summers ago. Yet he missed his chance to forward his case in front of Birtwistle after suffering an off-day with the boot against Dubai Hurricanes on Friday.
The resurgent Hurricanes stole a first win in three meetings with the Exiles via a late intercept try from Josh Sherrin.
Abu Dhabi Harlequins kept the heat on Bahrain at the top of the Prosperity Premiership. They beat Doha 18-10, while the Bahrainis were enjoying a comfortable 50-0 home win over the Kuwait Nomads.
pradley@thenational.ae
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ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
