Dubai: Sri Lankan scrum-half Emad Reyal made history at The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens yesterday by scoring the UAE's first ever try in their home event debut.
The 20-year-old expatriate, who is originally from Kandy, ran the flank fearlessly four minutes into the first half of the hosts' international sevens series bow to dive over the line and score against Samoa on the country's 40th National Day in front of 40,000 jubilant spectators.
Formed from the break-up of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union (AGRFU), the UAE has only been in action as an independent rugby-playing nation since January. While they appeared in XVs matches in the Asian Five Nations over the summer, yesterday was their first foray in the IRB HSBC Sevens World Series.
Never expected to move any mountains in their inaugural outing against professional and world class opposition, the UAE fell to 55-12, 43-0 and 73-7 Pool A defeats to Samoa, Fiji and Argentina respectively.
However, it was the manner in which one man stemmed the initial tide against two-time Dubai Sevens runners-up Samoa which has won the plaudits.
Speechless
As well as his early score, Reyal wrapped up the match with a second try from a last-gasp move initiated by Cyrus Homayoun's break and a Tim Fletcher pass. The resulting conversion was successfully kicked by Murray Strang. Reyal, who only made his UAE debut in Goa a fortnight ago, when he scored a hat-trick of tries against India, was elated by his team's efforts.
"It's just awesome to represent the UAE, the country I call home," said Reyal, who plays his club rugby for Exiles. "I'm speechless. I want to thank the crowd [who gave him a standing ovation for his efforts]. My dad has lived and worked in the UAE 32 years and I always told him growing up that I wanted to play for the country one day.
"I didn't make it to an AGRFU side, but I've made it for the UAE so I'm happy it's become a reality."
Unable to fully recall the tries as he barged past some of the world's finest rugby professionals, the shortest player on the pitch from a team of all amateurs added: "It was just something I wanted to try [to score]. I didn't expect it to work out but I wanted it badly enough and it worked."
Coach Wayne Marsters said after the UAE's historic debut: "We'll never celebrate losing but we have to be realistic about our aims this weekend. Lots of things we set out to achieve have been met."
