Eddie Jones, the Japan coach, expects the UAE to retain their place in the top flight of Asian rugby, saying he would be "very surprised" if they do not win their relegation decider against Kazakhstan on Friday.
The former Australia coach watched his Japan side, which he has overhauled since assuming control from John Kirwan this year, beat the national team by 103 points in Fukuoka on Saturday. A second landslide defeat in the space of eight days means the UAE would almost certainly be demoted from the top division of the Asian Five Nations if they fail to beat the Kazakhs at The Sevens.
In the aftermath of the match in Fukuoka, Duncan Hall, the UAE performance manager, picked the mind of Jones, his former teammate, as to what to expect from Kazakhstan.
Jones is well placed to assess the relative merits of the two sides. In his first official engagement with Japan, his men beat the side from the former Soviet state 87-0 on the opening weekend of the competition.
And he insists Hall, whom he played state level rugby with in Australia during the 1980s, has reasons for optimism ahead of Friday's make or break game.
"They [UAE] are a big chance of beating Kazakhstan," said Jones, who guided the Wallabies to the World Cup final in 2003. "I would be very surprised if they don't beat them. I think they showed a lot of will and a lot of character against us. We had some extra class because we had professionals playing against amateur players, but if they show the sort of attitude they did they will be a chance of winning."
Hall ran his side through a morning training session in Fukuoka yesterday before boarding the return flight last night.
The UAE's Five Nations campaign concludes with an away fixture in South Korea on May 26.
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Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
