Dubai: UAE national rugby league coach Dennis Weir has announced his squad for Friday's international against Pakistan at Dubai Sports City.
The match ends a three-year hiatus for the UAE Falcons due to sponsorship issues, but the team is ready to put the game's faster format back on the agenda locally with a new beginning this weekend.
Weir said: "At the moment rugby league is a young sport [in the UAE]. But the boys that have been training have come a long way in a short period of time and developed a great mindset to the game and I am pleased with that.
"I am looking forward to this weekend's match and the amazing effort, intensity and heart shown at training will get the Falcons through this weekend and set a solid platform for the future. It will lay a good foundation for rugby league to build upon."
The Falcons hope a spate of internationals will generate enough interest in rugby league locally to form a four-way domestic tournament.
Such a prospect would grant international recognition and the ability for the UAE to enter qualifing for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
The team consists of: Ascya Bishara, Clendon Pene, Dillon Gage, Glen Te Whanau, James King, Kyle Bennie, Michael McFarlane, Nathan Morehu, Rana Chand, Tom Calnan, Tom Cliffe, Will Latu, Paul Austin, Jarrod Purdy, Dean White, Bill Asmar, Oday Warrayat, Allistair Field, Liam Caldwell and Chris Potgieter.
