Sport | Rugby
Gathercole bows out on a high after helping Exiles win
Mark Gathercole bowed out from sevens on a high after helping Dubai Exiles retain the Gulf Trophy with a 36-7 win over Beirut.
- By Steve Hill, Correspondent
- Published: 23:35 May 3, 2009
- The Dubai Exiles team defeated local rivals Hurricanes in the Gulf Ladies Division. Exiles won the match 17-0 to complete memorable double for the hosts.
- Image Credit: Megan Hirons/Gulf News
Dubai: Mark Gathercole bowed out from sevens on a high after helping Dubai Exiles retain the Gulf Trophy with a 36-7 win over Beirut.
Marcus Smith claimed a hat-trick of tries in the final for the second successive year as his side made all their experience and power count.
And Gathercole, winning his sixth Gulf title to sit alongside 67 sevens appearances for the Arabian Gulf, was given the honour of leading the team up the steps one last time to receive the trophy from All Black great Richie McCaw.
Gathercole, now 40 and one of the great characters of Gulf rugby, said: "This is my last game of sevens. I wanted to win one more time with the boys and this is fantastic.
"My first sevens here was in 1995, on sand for the Exiles, and it's great to end this way.
"I'm still going to play 15s and will be available for the Gulf, if selected, but this is it for me at sevens."
Double crown
Exiles Ladies made it a trophy double for the host club, last year's beaten finalists going one better this time with a 17-0 win over local rivals Hurricanes.
Kuwait, among the pre-tournament favourites in the men's event, had to be content with the Khanjar, while Sharjah were awarded the bowl following the disqualification of the Falcons for fielding an ineligible player.
The shield went to Dragons II, who just held off the fledgling Alexandria club 22-20, and Urdd retained the Under-19 Cup with a commanding win over South African visitors Al Bab Al Sharqi.
Arabian Gulf Ladies, meanwhile, won the International Plate final with skipper Jennie Williams (Hurricanes) running in a 60-metre try in the final seconds to clinch glory.
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