Doha 1st XV win Arabian Gulf Top 6 League championship

By Sports Reporter/Doha It took them forty-one years but when the men’s team of Doha Rugby Football Centre - the 1st XV - finally took home the Gulf Top 6 League championship, they did so with equal amounts of passion and tenacity, consistently displaying the very same team traits that accompanied their steady ascent to the top. The team travelled to the home of the Jebel Ali Dragons, knowing that a win was needed to secure the Gulf Top 6 League championship. Bahrain had forfeited their last fixture against Saracens which gave the Abu Dhabi side a bonus point walk-over.  A victory for Doha would mean they would win the Arabian Gulf Top 6 competition for the first time!Doha opened their campaign early with a penalty kick from Stefano Hunt followed by a try from Elliot Johnston.  Luke Ward soon followed over the line with a typically dynamic break to score.  With a conversion by Stefano Hunt, the score was 0 – 15 with only 16 minutes gone. The Dragons were not about to be beaten that easily and with some solid forward play the host team managed to muscle their way back into the game with two tries and a conversion within the next 10 minutes.Doha skipper Liam Frost immediately stepped up and got things back on track for Doha with a try in the 35th minute, converted by Stefano Hunt.  This was countered by another try by the Dragons just before half time, ending the first half with a 17-22 score.The second half began much like the first, with a penalty kick from Hunt, but the Dragons had not breathed their last fire, scoring an unconverted try 12 minutes into the half. With the score being very close at 22 – 25, things were getting tense in the Doha camp.  However, fresh off the bench Robbie Gaule dotted down for the bonus point try, which was quickly converted by Hunt. At this point any thoughts of a recovery from the Dragons was quashed by a stunning interception and the 60 meter run to the line by replacement hooker Wade Lotter, converted by Hunt which placed the score at 22 – 39.Dependable duo Aaron McLelland and Greg Evans then conspired together for the next try.  McLelland’s dazzling footwork stunned the Dragons defense and allowed him to pop the ball to Evans to run in for the try.  Captian Frost then added his second try to close the game at 22-49 and secure the league win. “We are very happy to have won the league as it shows great consistency over 10 weeks, especially with us having to travel over to the UAE or Bahrain every second weekend,” Coach Aaron Palmer said. “Although we didn’t play as good as we could have, we did construct some good tries and put a lot of pressure on Dragons to force them into errors.”In spite of that there is not much room for the team to rest on their laurels as they prepare for the West Asia Cup final against Abu Dhabi Sacarens this coming Friday, March 20 at 3PM in Doha. “Our attention must now turn to a final this weekend and playing as we know we can in order to lift another title for the club and Doha,” Palmer says.