Abu Dhabi will be aiming to bounce straight back from a heavy league defeat last week against Dubai Dragons when the two sides meet again tonight in the semifinals of the Standard Chartered Arabian Gulf Cup at the Dubai Exiles (8pm).
At stake is a place in the final on April 1 against the Exiles. And skipper Richard Harris admits his side will have to make big improvements if they are to bounce back from a 29-0 reverse and challenge the Dragons.
He said: "We have no excuses about the league defeat. The Dragons were the better team on the day.
"We went into the game on the back of a couple of relatively easy wins which, in hindsight, did not really prepare us for opponents like the Dragons.
"We know we can do a lot better and will have to play with much more composure. The Dragons will start the cup tie as clear favourites and that means we have nothing to lose. It's a one-off in that respect."
Prop Bill Kennedy is drafted into the Bats' line-up while Argentinian Juan Allendez comes back into the side at outside centre but former Dragons flanker Jonny Ombler sits out the game because of a back problem.
The Dragons, meanwhile, hope to make only one change. Scrum-half Adrian Kerr was concussed in the league win and is facing a mandatory three-week lay-off.
His place in the side looks likely to go to Lubin Ozoux.
