Murray Strang’s try against Scotland is birthday wish come true
UAE crash out of competition with string of defeats in debut stint
By Ashley Hammond, Staff ReporterPublished: 00:00 December 4, 2011

Dubai: Scotsman Murray Strang celebrated a dream 30th birthday by scoring a try for the UAE against his homeland in the quarter-finals of the bowl on the final day of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens yesterday.
However, it was bitter-sweet as the eventual 40-5 loss to Scotland meant the UAE dropped down to the shield semi-finals where they then lost to Kenya 35-5 to crash out of their own competition in their home event debut, with somewhat expected straight defeats.
The bowl quarters and shield semis on day three followed three earlier group stage losses on day two to Samoa 55-12, Fiji 43-0 and Argentina 73-7.U
Emad Reyal top-scored for the UAE with 10 points from two historic first and second tries in the Samoa game, while Strang scored nine from two conversions (against Samoa and Argentina) and the try against Scotland

Meanwhile, Tim Fletcher and Chris Gregory both scored five from a try apiece against Argentina and Kenya, respectively.
Roller-coaster ride
Strang said: "It's been a roller-coaster ride. The guys have really dug in well, but results have been tough. It's really been a baptism of fire against all these international players.
"Today was great for me personally to play against my home country Scotland. When I saw the draw on Friday night I was absolutely delighted and just raring to go." Of the try against his own country, Strang added: "I'll celebrate it and I think the Scottish boys will give me that. I'm absolutely delighted with it. Obviously I love getting my name on the score sheet and you never plan to score in any game, but I knew that if [I] got to the white line and scored it would be extra special today given the opposition and it being my birthday. It topped it all off. It's a dream come true."
"Every player has a note of the crowds they've played in front of and the standard they've come up against. This is definitely one of those games where you notice that notch up in standard and excitement. On the pitch you don't register the crowd you're too focused, but when you're warming up and someone's making a break the roar that goes up puts the hairs on the back of your neck on end."
Strang, who faced old adversaries and teammates from his playing days with Glasgow Hawks in the opposing Scottish side said: "Getting my club Abu Dhabi Harlequins to the final of the Gulf Men's League and winning had always been a target, but I haven't managed it. But to pull on a national team jersey and play against world class athletes in front of 40,000 is something else."
"It's been quite well documented that from now on we'll have to qualify for our right to play in the Dubai Sevens."

The National reports
Strange feelings for the Strang family
Paul Radley

Dec 4, 2011 


DUBAI // The Saturday of the Dubai Rugby Sevens always starts with the hazy feeling of the morning after the night before, but one set of supporters were never going to miss their early morning appointment yesterday.

The Strang family booked a holiday to Dubai months ago for this weekend on the assumption that they would be able to watch Scotland play in the world series, then fill in the gaps with some social rugby besides.

Circumstance decided otherwise, however, and provided 14 minutes they will probably never forget, when son and brother Murray played for the UAE against his homeland in an international sevens match.

The Abu Dhabi Harlequins fly-half obviously has a sense of occasion. In the third minute, he jinked over the line to score against his homeland, which was the perfect way to celebrate his 30th birthday.

"I always keep tabs on how Scotland are doing, and this is probably the first game I have not supported them," Strang said.

"My family are across and they have been holding up a UAE flag for half the games and a Scotland flag for the other half."

One of the Strang tour party, brother Grant, plays club rugby as a No 8 alongside two of Scotland's try-scorers against the UAE, Kerr Gossman and Ross Miller.

Strang also played with great distinction for the same club, Glasgow Hawks, before moving to the Emirates with his job as a chartered surveyor in 2008.

"I matched up in my head before the tournament that there was a chance we might meet on the second day and I was really excited about that, knowing it was my birthday as well," he said.


"It was a dream come true to play against them. Having played in Scotland for so long before coming out here, I always aspired to playing for them.

"Now, running out in a UAE shirt with all my adopted country-mates, it was a brilliant experience. Scoring that try was the icing on the cake."

Dave Matasio, the Dubai Wasps flanker, could empathise with Strang when he, too, was granted the chance to play against his homeland, when the UAE faced Kenya in the Shield semi-final.

Matasio had been on the cusp of playing for Kenya in the past, before moving to Dubai with his job as an IT consultant in 2007.

"It did feel like I was going against my mother and it felt hard to take them on," Matasio, 34, said.

"I was debating whether to play or not to play, but I thought I should for the love of the game."

One of the few players to be representing the country of his birth was Mohammed Hassan Rahma, the Emirati wing.

He had his hands on the ball for the first time in international rugby against the Kenyans, and made a second half break, before being hauled in by the imposing defence.

"It is completely different to how it looks on the TV," Rahma said. "The guys are bigger and tougher than I thought."

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This article was originally posted on 3-Dec-2011, 19:28 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 3-Dec-2011, 22:35.