Sport | Rugby
Smith helps Dubai Exiles end long title drought
Exiles coach Mark Butterworth was a happy man long before the final of the Gulf Trophy ? as his club's top two sides qualified for the final.
- By Steve Hill, Correspondent
- Published: 23:31 May 3, 2009
Dubai: Exiles coach Mark Butterworth was a happy man long before the final of the Gulf Trophy as his club's top two sides qualified for the final.
In the event, the first string comfortably overcame their fellow clubmen 35-5 to get their hands on the trophy for the first time in several years, but the result remained a victory for the club.
Marcus Smith led the charge for the eventual victors, a first half hat-trick of tries ensuring a comfortable victory. Butterworth said: "I told the boys before the final that my job was done. It was a great effort and a great day for the club. It was particularly pleasing to see the seconds beat Dragons' first team in the semifinal."
There was more silverware for the Exiles in the Gulf Shield with their third team cruising to success over Dhofar, and the club's Vets just outpaced Saudi Select in the Gulf Vets Plate.
And two more teams the ladies and youth also reached finals before going down to the Falcons and Abu Dhabi, respectively.
It was also a good day for Dubai Hurricanes Vets, who eased to a 19-0 final success over Abu Dhabi with Dominic Parker rolling back the years with a burst of pace to claim the first try of the game. And Hurricanes' second string defeated Bahrain seconds in the Gulf Khanjar.
Rugby Ecosse, Scotland's women's side, were one of the most impressive winners of the day, overcoming Asian champions Kazakhstan 21-0 in the International Ladies event.
The side conceded only one try in the knockout stages and will go forward to next year's World Cup in Canada in confident mood.
The Bone Steelers, managed by former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lion Andy Nicol, needed a late try from Scottish under-19 international David McCall to overcome MGUS.
Gregor Townsend, Scotland's most capped player, made no mistake with the conversion to put the seal on a 28-25 win.
The International Overseas Trophy was a tight affair, Royal Navy just coming out on top for a popular 26-17 win over French side Pyrenees while Marauders had the better of Swansea Old Boys in a tight International Vets Trophy final.
The Marauders had to battle every step of the way for their triumph, securing tight wins in the quarters and then the semis before also narrowly coming out on top in the final.
Results
Emirates Trophy Final:
England 28 Fiji 26
Semifinals:
Fiji 17 South Africa 7
England 7 Samoa 5
Quarterfinals:
New Zealand 14 Fiji 17
South Africa 14 Australia 0
England 24 Argentina 12
Samoa 33 France 14
Emirates Plate: Final:
New Zealand 19 France 7
Semifinals:
New Zealand 17 Australia 0
Argentina 14 France 24
Emirates Bowl: Final:
Canada 5 Wales 19
Semifinals:
Canada 24 Portugal 19
Scotland 0 Wales 21
Quarterfinals:
Canada 33 Tunisia 5
Portugal 41 Uganda 0
Kenya 0 Scotland 33
Wales 24 Arabian Gulf 7
Emirates Shield: Final:
Tunisia 7 Kenya 10
Semifinals:
Tunisia 24 Uganda 0
Kenya 35 Arabian Gulf 7
International Overseas Trophy : Final:
Royal Navy 26 Pyrenees 17
Semifinals:
Pyrenees 24 PW Coopers 19
Royal Navy 28 CGS Old Boys 7
International Invitation: Final:
NZ Legends 19 Christina Nob 14
Semifinals:
Christina Nob 24 St George 12
NZ Legends 19 Marauders 14
International Vets Trophy: Final:
Marauders 15 Swansea OB 5
Semifinals:
Warblers 5 Marauders 8
Total Lions 0 Swansea OB 5
Gulf Trophy: Final:
Exiles 35 Exiles II 5
Semifinals:
Dragons 7 Exiles II 12
Exiles 19 Hurricanes 5
Quarterfinals:
Dragons 39 Dragons II 5
Exiles II 31 Jordan 5
Exiles 31 Doha 0
Hurricanes 19 French Frogs 0
Gulf Khanjar: Final:
Hurricanes II 19 Bahrain II 7
Semifinals:
Hurricanes II 22 Beirut 0
Abu Dhabi II 7 Bahrain II 31
Quarterfinals:
Hurricanes II 15 Saudi Select 10
Beirut 20 Al Ain 5
Abu Dhabi II 38 Cairo 7
Damascus Zen 0 Bahrain II 17
Gulf Bowl: Final:
Abu Dhabi 29 Lanka Lions 14
Semifinals:
Sharjah 25 Abu Dhabi 0
PDO 17 Lanka Lions 35
Quarterfinals:
Muscat 5 Abu Dhabi 28
Sharjah Wan 39 Kuwait 7
Jeddah II 0 PDO Pirates 24
Lanka Lions 26 Barrelhouse 12
Gulf Shield: Final:
Exiles III 36 Dhofar 0
Semifinals:
Exiles III 45 Muscat II 0
Dhofar 19 Bah Firbolgs 14
Quarterfinals:
Sharjah Wan II 5 Dubai Exil III 45
Dhofar 17 Jeddah 12
Gulf Vets: Final:
Hurricanes 19 Abu Dhabi 0
Semifinals:
Hurricanes 12 Dragons 5
Abu Dhabi 21 Doha Dogs 7
Quarterfinals:
Hurricanes 26 Hurricanes II 0
Dragons 22 Al Ain 5
Abu Dhabi 12 Das Island 5
Doha Dogs 14 Sharjah 7
International Ladies: Final:
Khazakstan 0 Rugby Ecosse 21
International Youth: Final:
Kamatipoort 7 URDD 19
Semifinals:
Komatipoort 26 Wyvern Wan 0
Falcon College 12 URDD 29
Invitation Plate: Final:
Bonesteelers 28 MGUS 25
Semifinals:
St Ives 12 Bonesteelers 26
MGUS 22 N'castle Univ 10
Gulf Vets Plate: Final:
Dubai Exiles 10 Saudi Select 0
Semifinals:
Kuwait 0 Dubai Exiles 33
Saudi Select 19 Amex Bah 14
Gulf Ladies Trophy: Final:
Falcons 7 Dubai Exiles 5
Semifinals:
Falcons 37 Abu Dhabi 0
Hurricanes 7 Dubai Exiles 20
International Overseas Plate: Final:
Devon A.W. 28 Templars 14
Semifinals:
Devon 28 Racing Club 15
Clyde & Co 7 Templars 19
Gulf Youth Trophy: Final:
Abu Dhabi 14 Dubai Exiles 12
Semifinals:
Abu Dhabi 29 Kuwait 0
Dubai Exiles 12 Hornets 0
International Vets Plate: Final:
Racing Club 0 Gac Stockholm 19
Semifinals:
Barrelhouse 0 Racing Club 12
Gac Stockholm 22 Buccaneers 0
Local Social Plate: Final:
Wild Wadi 7 Seafarers 29
Semifinals:
Dubai Celts 5 Wild Wadi 14
Islamabad 12 Seafarers 17
Local Social Trophy: Final:
V Blacks 12 Flying Mup 7
Semifinals:
Nasa Multiplex 0 Flying Mup 15
Falcons 12 V Blacks 17
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