ABU DHABI // Capital bragging rights are at stake today as Abu Dhabi's two sides headline the weekend's Gulf Top Six games. Undefeated leaders Saracens take on defending champions Harlequins in a game that could mark a shift of power in the city.
Quins have been the capital, the country and the region’s dominant side, but Saracens have risen swiftly. Earlier this season they beat Quins, their first win in the derby.
“We’ve been pretenders to the throne, the little brothers so far, so that last game was a first victory for us,” said Ali Thompson, their player-coach and a former UAE captain. “It was the monkey off our back.”
Saracens have been in ominous form, thumping Jebel Ali Dragons 38-3 last week, but they will be without Alex Gonzales, out with an ankle injury. Though otherwise settled, Thompson expects another “war of attrition” to match their earlier Top Six meeting that Saracens won 10-6.
By contrast, Quins, depleted by several absences, lost to Doha last weekend.
They will be without many first-choice players today, as well, player-coach Jeremy Manning said.
“We’re fairly confident, but I think Saracens are the team to beat at the moment and we’re coming off a loss last weekend,” Manning said.
“We’re under the pump, but the boys’ mood is alright. It’s not the end of the world, we’ve got a bit of the season to go and the boys are looking forward to the challenge of a derby. That is motivation enough.”
The less perky mood in the opposition and their absences are not lulling Saracens into a false sense of security, however.If anything, Thompson wants to make sure they do not get too worked up pre-game.
“I’m just hoping we don’t over-hype the game, because we’ve fallen victim to it in the past,” he said. “We need to be clinical and almost emotionless in what we try to do on the field. We prepare for this game like every other game, and if we can put our game plan into action on the field, then we set ourselves up with a good chance to win the match.”
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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