UAE Mens XV Squad Announced Ahead of Asia Rugby Division 1 Championship

After weeks of player profiling within the UAE rugby squad, Head Coach 🎧Apollo Perelini and his coaching staff consisting of 🎧Aaron Persico and Durandt Gerber, have selected their touring squad that will travel to Lahore, Pakistan during the first week of July 2023 to take part in the Asia Rugby Division 1 Championship.

With a squad, heavily featuring players from the Dubai Exiles, they will play a two match XV a side series against Pakistan on the 4th and 8th of July. The 24 man squad has been selected from 5 of the rugby clubs in Dubai and 2 UAE Shaheen (local Emirati) players.

The Asia Rugby Championship Division 1 competition in Lahore was originally meant to include Philippines, Singapore, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, but Philippines and Singapore have been forced to pulled out due to financial issues, leaving just Pakistan and the UAERF to have a 2 series playoff to see who gains promotion into the Asia Rugby Championship.

Asia Rugby Championship

Formerly known as the Asian Five Nations, the Asia Rugby Championship is the premier men’s XVs competition in Asia and features Hong Kong China, Malaysia, and Korea. Current champions,  Hong Kong China will begin to defend their crown on the 10th June as they face Malaysia.

The culmination of the Championship will take place on June 17th, as Asia’s rugby giants, Korea and Hong Kong China, go head-to-head in a final match of the championship.

UAE Rugby National XV Squad

The 24 players selected by Perelini have been selected from the Exiles, Barrelhouse, Tigers, Dragons and Hurricanes as well as the UAE Shaheen.

1. Pieter Killian (Exiles)
2. Lukas Waddington (Exiles)
3. Riaan Barnard (Barrelhouse)
4. Moeneeb Galant (Exiles)
5. 🎧David Gairn (Exiles)
6. Yousuf Lashkri (Shaheen)
7. Esekaia Dranibota (Tigers)
8. Jonathan Harris (Dragons)
9. Mathew Mills (Exiles)
10. Epeli Davetawalu (Exiles)
11. Jaen Botes (Exiles)
12. Sidhant Mehra (Hurricanes)
13. Gareth Newman (Dragons)
14. Carel Thomas (Exiles)
15. Thomas Battiston (Hurricanes)
16. Tayne Stannard (Exiles)
17. Boris Finck (Hurricanes)
18. Tobias Oakeley (Hurricanes)
19. Hadyn Palmer (Exiles)
20. Diarmuid Carr (Dragons)
21. Sakiusa Naisau (Tigers)
22. Ibrahim Doree (Shaheen)
23. Kobi Bates (Tigers)
24. Tadgh Nash (Exiles)

The matches are likely to be broadcast live on Asia Rugby’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.