Adam Telford looking ‘very strong’ upon return to UAE setup following lengthy injury layoff

Adam Telford in action during the UAE's match against Singapore at The Sevens in Dubai on April 23, 2014. Sarah Dea / The National

DUBAI // Adam Telford, who captained the UAE in their only Test of 2014, is on course to return to national duty despite having played just 15 minutes of rugby since.

The Irish No 8 tore a biceps muscle in the first minute of Jebel Ali Dragons’ opening pre-season fixture last summer and subsequently was ruled out of the entire domestic campaign.

After surgery to reattach the tendon to the bone in his left arm, followed by six months of rehabilitation, he is fit again.

Telford has been named in the 32-man extended squad for the UAE’s Asian Championships Division 2 campaign in Malaysia next month.

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The tour is a seminal one for senior representative rugby in this country. After starting in the top tier of continental competition, the national team have suffered successive relegations.

When they line up against Thailand, at Kuala Lumpur on May 10, it will be three years to the weekend since the UAE last won a Test match.

Telford said it is up to the players to arrest the slide, and is confident they have the personnel to do so in Malaysia.

“It is massive for the UAE,” Telford said. “It is three years since we won a game and we have been dropping down the divisions — and I don’t think that reflects the rugby in the UAE.

“It is massively better than when I first came here, yet our national team is dropping down. But with this group of guys, we have some of the best players who have played this year in the league.”

Whether Telford retains the captaincy of the side remains to be seen.

Among the raft of new recruits are Jaen Botes, the captain of West Asia’s No 1 side, Abu Dhabi Saracens, and Paul Hart, Telford’s Dragons teammate, who oversaw a treble of titles three seasons ago.

Roelof Kotze, the UAE performance manager, is pleased to have so many leaders in his new-look squad, including the fit-again Telford.

“He is back, and he looks very strong and fit,” Kotze said. “He is a good leader, so that helps us. I am happy he is back, sad he missed the season, but for me this is the part of the season that matters.

“Because he has had nothing since we finished last year, he is very keen and wants to play, and is a fresh body.”

It may be fresh, but it also battle-worn. Telford has a long scar across the top of his left forearm from the biceps surgery, and a longer one across his right shoulder from a previous injury.

“Part of my leg is in my biceps and part of my leg is in my shoulder,” he said. “It was a tough injury, but I knew what to expect and I always set the UAE as the target.

“Last year we put in a lot of effort and did extremely well with the players we had for options.

“I am confident we can go and do something in Malaysia. We are ranked in the 90s, it is not a fair reflection and I think we should be in the top 50.

“The aim is to win these three games and restore some pride for UAE rugby, then build for next year.”

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