Tuesday 23 / April / 2024
MUSCAT: Round two of the Gulf Conference Championship saw Doha RFC make the journey to Oman to start their league campaign. Doha who beat Muscat both Home and Away last season were looking to start their conference campaign with a win however Muscat who had one eye on this game since the beginning of the season had other plans in mind.
Head Coach Luke O’Mahony was forced to make three changes to the starting line up that beat Saudi Arabia in October, Club Captain Karl Rasmussen, Dan Worth and French center Clement Montazue all missing out through injury. The Muscat squad also included Macdara O’Ciardha who was playing his last game for the club before returning to Ireland.
Muscat came out of the blocks at a heroic pace, great support lines and huge carries brought them straight into the Doha 22 only for a forward pass ending what was to be a certain try for winger Kirk Mc Millan in the corner. Muscat were able to keep up the continued pressure on a resilient Doha Defence and were rewarded with a penalty right in front of the posts, Salah Al Busaidi Muscat’s kicker duly slotted over the penalty to make it 3-0 for the GreenMachine. It wasn’t to be until the 38th minute until the score board was to change again relentless pressure by Muscat saw a stretch Doha Defence concede another penalty under the posts, Al Busaidi continues his excellent kicking form and increased Muscat’s lead to 6-0.
The end of the first half saw Muscat cross the whitewash for the first time, Cobus Stander stealing a ball from the ruck, as Doha protested Stander saw the gap and ran the full 50 meters and scored under the post, with a successful conversion by Al Busaidi Muscat’s lead was now 13-0. Muscat were still celebrating that try when a lapse of concentration at the kick off caused Muscat to knock the ball on, Doha duly took the chance to reduce the lead and scored a penalty with the last kick of the half.
The second half like the first started with Phil Braban & Cobus Stander launching huge counter attacks on the Doha team, a try looked imminent only for a knock on to scupper the dream start. Muscat’s second try came from an lineout inside the Doha 5 meter line, great carries by Dawid Shalk & Phil Braban allowed half time sub Conor Quaid to power over the try line. Salah Al Busaidi last contribution to the game was to slot over his fourth kick of the game to make the score 20-10. Like the first half a lack of concentration straight from the restart by Muscat cost them seven points, Muscat reclaimed the ball but a wild pass was intercepted and Doha scored under the posts.
However what you can do we can do better!!! A long restart by Muscat’s Mourad Hassani caused complete chaos in the Doha ranks, two huge hits by Julian Mullineux and Cobus stander led to the ball comically bouncing off the head of a Doha player straight into the arms of Muscat’s Jordanian Front row Mohammed Izmigna, no one was stopping him from there . A huge touchline conversion by Mourad Hassani made the score 27-10. Head Coach Luke O’Mahony emptied the bench to try and seal that all important Bonus point try and it was eventually to come around the 70th minute when Dawid Shalk ran the perfect line off a well contested scrum for Muscat and sealed the bonus point. Hassani missed the conversion however made up for it later with a late penalty to end a fierce contest 35-10 for Muscat
Head Coach Luke O’Mahony stated “Confidence in our own ability, application of our training plan and a desire to win by all 23 players won us that game today”. The Muscat team face Doha again in Qatar for round three on January 25, 2019
