Dubai Tigers seal West Asia Premiership home final

Dubai Tigers secured a home final in the West Asia Premiership after easing to victory against their title rivals Bahrain in Al Sufouh on Friday night.

The region’s two leading sides had long since clinched their place in the season decider having dominated the cross-border competition between them.

All that was at stake when the sides met at Tigers Park was who would get home advantage when they next meet on April 13.

The home side emphatically clinched hosting rights for the final with a first-half blitz, led by three-try Sakiusa Naisau and his fellow Fijian flyer Niko Volavola.

In all, the hosts racked up seven tries, with Charlie Taylor, Esekaia Dranibota and Nick Cliffe also scoring.

Although the comprehensive 41-28 scoreline marks Tigers out as title favourites, Bahrain did strike back with some psychological blows of their own towards the end.

The tourists finished the game the far stronger side, touching down three tries of their own in the closing stages, and rattling the Tigers to the point they lost two players to the sin bin.