The British School Al Khubairat will be seeking to avenge a narrow defeat they suffered at the hands of Dubai College when they meet again in the final of the UAE Schools Rugby Union League on Friday.
The two teams were only separated by the odd point in 29 when the two sides met in February and another close game is expected when they go head to head at 5.30pm at Zayed Sports City in what will be the curtain raiser to the UAE's Asian Five Nations game with Kazakhstan.
Coached by the school's director of rugby Lyn Jones, who used to coach the likes of Wales internationals James Hook, Mike Phillips and Gavin Henson at the Ospreys, the British School only lost one game in the league this season and Friday's showpiece will their first final appearance in only their second season of full-time rugby at Under 18 level.
They have beaten English College Dubai (44-0), Jumeirah College (22-7) Jess Arabian Ranches Dubai (52-7) and Deira International School to finish second in the league and qualify for the final.The UAE Schools League is contested by two schools in Abu Dhabi, one in Sharjah and 10 from Dubai. It is played in four age groups; Under 12, U14, U16 and U18.
British School will draw comfort from the fact that they were victorious at this year's Dubai College 10s tournament, where the hosts had never lost, and that they are also this season's Dubai Sevens Schools Champions.
But, according to Jones, "players from both sides know that 15s is a different game".
"Players from both sides are very excited at the prospect of playing in a curtain raiser to the UAE rugby sides first ever international," Jones said.
"We are expecting a large crowd and it should make for a very good night's rugby at Zayed Sports City."
Andy Jones, the director of sport, at Dubai College, said: "It should be a cracking game. We have played them three times this season and they won the league game by a whisker. It should be a tight evenly contested game and could go either way. We have got a decent side with a big set of forwards - some of whom have just got back from injury, which is good - and some quick backs so with can play a variety of games. It's just who copes with the heat and the intensity of the day will win."
Before the U18 final, Dubai College and Jumeirah College will meet in the final of the U16 event, kick-off 4pm. Jess Arabian Ranches and Dubai College have already won the respective finals of the U12 and U14 tournaments.
* Compiled by The National staff
