Abu Dhabi Harlequins celebrated a golden weekend by toppling the Gulf League champions Dubai Hurricanes in the inaugural round of Arabian Gulf Super Five matches.
At the same time their women's side were clinching the Doha Oryx Ladies tournament, following a 45-5 win over Dubai Exiles in the final in Qatar.
Much has been made of the capital club's resurgence in domestic rugby, following a high-profile link-up with the English Premiership side Harlequins which was penned during the summer.
However, the Hurricanes have been the league champions for the past two seasons and remain the team to beat on the field.
Abu Dhabi signalled they were getting closer to the Dubai trailblazers after capturing the Gulf Cup from them in last season's final. They reinforced their status at the weekend with a comfortable 34-16 win at The Sevens in Dubai, in a new tournament for the region's top five clubs.
Quins crossed the whitewash four times and Matt Holzl kicked 14 points to seal victory.
The Quins chairman Richard Harris said: "One of the things we have said as a club is that we need to regularly beat the Dubai teams to prove we are a serious force in rugby in the region.
"We want to show that last year's cup win was not just a flash in the pan."
The success of the Quins' women in Doha was arguably an even greater triumph for the club.
Harris added: "The ladies section ended last season with just five players.
"They flew to Doha with 12 players and a coach - and there were three other players who didn't travel.
"From saying to people 'We have seen you at the rugby club, please can you play for us,' to get to a position where players are actually fighting for places is fantastic."
pradley@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
Pros%20and%20cons%20of%20BNPL
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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.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Ticket prices
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- Floor Standing - Dh495
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- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
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- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
SPECS
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Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
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- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
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David Haye record
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Wins: 28
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Losses: 4
