Niko Volavola hat-trick seals historic win for UAE in South Korea to keep Rugby World Cup dream alive

National team mount remarkable comeback to shock hosts in the Asia Rugby Championship in Incheon

UAE made a stunning comeback to defeat South Korea in the Asia Rugby Championship in Incheon. Photo: Asian Rugby

The UAE maintained their hopes of a Rugby World Cup debut in 2027 as they claimed a stunning win in South Korea.

Niko Volavola scored a hat-trick of tries as the national team completed a late comeback to win 38-36 in Incheon.

The Koreans were favourites ahead of the game based on the fact they were ranked 33rd in the World Rugby standings, compared to the UAE, who are 50th.

They also had home advantage, and were coming off a win in their Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) opener against Sri Lanka last week.

The UAE, by contrast, had been under-par in losing on home soil to Hong Kong last weekend.

The tourists were, though, buoyed by the knowledge they had beaten Korea for the first time in their history in the corresponding fixture last season.

The win in 2024 arrived via a late comeback when the Koreans wilted in the heat of Dubai summer.

Although the game panned out in much the same way this time around, a first away win in Korea will likely mean even more to the UAE this time around.

The Koreans are the highest ranked opposition they have ever beaten, and it breathes life back into their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup in Australia in two year’s time.

The ARC carries with it one automatic qualifying place for the World Cup. After their comprehensive win in Dubai last week, Hong Kong appeared certainties to take that berth.

But the second placed side in the four-team league will enter a system of repechage matches to decide the final qualifier for the World Cup. That will be decided by a four-team event to be played in Dubai in November.

Jacques Benade, the UAE coach, had demanded improvement after the loss to Hong Kong. His players answered his call emphatically.

It was clear they had a point to prove as they raced into a 14-0 lead in the first 20 minutes in Incheon, via a try from hooker Michael Sejean, then the first of Volavola’s three.

All their endeavour threatened to go unrewarded when – for the second week running – they gave up a penalty try for illegally hauling down a rolling maul.

Riaan Barnard, the prop, was shown a yellow card for the indiscretion. By the time he re-entered the fray 10 minutes later, the UAE had gone from a 14-0 lead to a 21-14 deficit.

They showed great heart not to subside, though. Jack Stapley, the Dubai-born centre who plays Championship rugby for Nottingham in the UK, crossed for a try that allowed the UAE to go into half-time all square.

The Koreans asserted control with two tries within five minutes of the restart, but, even at 33-21 down, the UAE refused to yield.

Brad Janes powered over for his second try in a week, before a Korean penalty extended their lead to 10 points.

With 11 minutes to go, Volavola ran in his second of the game. Vitally, Max Johnson, the Doha-based fly-half who was outstanding from the kicking tee for the UAE, nailed the conversion from the touchline.

It meant that, when Volavola touched down his third, with a brilliant finish in the right-hand corner, they had a two-point lead. They managed to hold onto that to give them a thrilling win.

“Our backs were against the wall for the last couple of minutes, but hats off to the boys,” Andrew Semple, the UAE captain, said.

“We just dug deep and managed to come away with the win. We always had belief from [beating South Korea in Dubai] last year, so going into the game we felt we could win.

“It was the same thing in the changing room at half-time. We felt that if we kept the ball and played our game, we would come out on top.”

The UAE’s final game in the ARC will be against Sri Lanka – who face Hong Kong on Sunday – in Colombo in two weeks’ time. A win could send them through to the repechage play-off.

“[Qualification for the World Cup] was always the dream coming in for all of us,” Semple said.

“This win keeps the dream alive. Going to Sri Lanka, we need to keep building for the next few weeks so we can power into that, and make those dreams come alive.”