New skipper Ed Nicholas is setting the Dubai Exiles an ambitious trophy target as the new domestic rugby season kicks off this weekend.
The back row forward wants to see his club prevent the Dubai Dragons winning a third straight Arabian Gulf League title, retain the Standard Chartered Arabian Gulf Cup and win every match they play at every level.
"That's the aim," said the 24-year-old ahead of the club's opening home clash with Doha at 6.30pm tomorrow.
"It's not arrogance, I just want to see us trying to win all our games, from sevens and 10s through to the league and cup and everything else. "I really want to get the winning mentality back here, and get the Exiles back to where we should be."
Nicholas is an Exile down to his boot laces. He joined the club at the age of seven and has captained every age group side he has played for, from minis through to juniors and the under-19s. And his hopes for a successful new campaign after a lean period for the club are based on the solid foundations laid last year. "Winning the cup final against the Dragons was huge for us," he said. "We were massive underdogs but we pulled tight together and got the result we wanted."
