Women’s Premiership Super Saturday @ Shek Kip Mei

Unbeaten Valley Black will look to shake off the rust after the bye week when they take on City Sparkle in the finale of the first Women’s Premiership Super Saturday of the season.

The Valley – City clash will be preceded by Kowloon versus HKFC Ice (13:30), Tai Po Dragons versus USRC Tigers (15:00) and CWB Phoenix versus Gai Wu Falcons (16:30) in a showcase of women’s rugby at Sheki Kip Mei.

Despite the top versus bottom of the table match-up, Valley coach Bella Milo is taking nothing for granted as she puts her charges back to work in the women’s premiership.

“Coming back after the break we need to get a few things right,” said Milo. “Against Causeway Bay we struggled with some of our plays. Our handling and our combinations were not going right, so we’ll be using this game to get those set as we’ve got a big game next week [against HKFC].”

Milo’s estimation of struggling in last round’s 58-0 win over Causeway Bay demonstrates the relentless attitude that has seen Valley run the table for three seasons running – and that fiercely competitive approach will be on display against City.

“We’ll put out our strongest squad, based on their performance in training,” Milo confirmed. “There will be places for one or two newer players to replace a couple of injuries and we are pleased to have “Frenchie” [Amelie Seure] back from sevens duty. I want to use this game to get a better gauge of the players.”

Valley currently top the table on 15 points while fellow undefeated side Gai Wu Falcons are a point off the pace in second, and four points ahead of Tigers. The Falcons will play fourth-ranked Causeway Bay, whose scoring has been prolific this season but who have let themselves down in defence, scoring 79 points but conceding 76.

The Tigers can leap up the table if they can dispatch sixth-ranked Tai Po Dragons but with Valley and Falcons playing in what are potentially mismatches they may find themselves treading water in third place come Sunday.

Kowloon will be hoping that their offense can fire after a series of close-run affairs, as they hunt for their first win of the season against Football Club after scoring just 10 points across the opening three matches.

Entry is Free! There are also Women’s National League 1 and 1 games taking place. Support women’s rugby!

Additional reporting: hkru
Images: Takumi Photography

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 21 October, 2017

Women’s Rugby Results – 14 October, 2017

National League 1

Valley Red 31-21 USRC Tigers
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 16:30

HK Scottish Kukris 22-5 Tai Po Dragons
@ HKIED Kick-off: 18:00

Gai Wu Fawkes 77-0 HKCC
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 18:00

National League 2

Gai Wu Hawks 0-39 HKFC Fire
@ KG V, Kick-off: 16:30

University 10-37 Tin Shui Wai
@ Sandy Bay, Kick-off: 16:30

Kowloon 24-10 Police Sirens
@ Police Boundary Street, Kick-off: 18:00

CWB Lammergeier 36-0 City
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 18:00

Images: Takumi Photography

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 14 October, 2017

Women’s Rugby Results – 7 October, 2017

Premiership

City Sparkle 10-27 Gai Wu Falcons
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 16:30

Gai Wu Falcons: 1. Lau Nga Wun 劉雅緩; 2. Pun Wai Yan 潘慧欣; 3. Lee Ka Shun 李嘉萱; 4. Wong Ka Yin 黃家妍; 5. Chow Mei Nam 鄒美楠; 6. Ching Tsz Yung 程子容; 7. Yip Hiu Ki 葉曉琪; 8. Chan Ka Yan 陳嘉欣; 9. Lai Pui Shan 黎珮珊; 10. Chui Kam Chi 徐金枝; 11. Lo Pui Shan 羅佩珊; 12. Ho Hoi Lam 何凱琳; 13. Chiu Wing See 趙穎思; 14. Lum Ka Ching 藍嘉晴; 15. Lau Sze Wa 劉絲樺;
Reserve: 16. Lam Ka Wai 林嘉慧; 17. Lee Wing Yan 李穎欣; 18. Ng Ki Sum 吳其芯; 19. Man Yuen Yan 文琬茵; 20. Man Po Kei 文寶琪; 21. Fung Hoi Ching 馮凱晴; 22. Chan Wan Sum 陳韻心; 23. Chan Lap Ting 陳立婷

HKFC Ice 29-5 Tai Po Dragons
@ HK Football Club, Kick-off: 16:30

Valley Black 58-0 CWB Phoenix
@ So Kon Po, Kick-off: 16:30

Valley Black:
KK Wong, Li Lai Mang Becky, Ching To Cheng, Deena Ravi Thinakaran, Karen So, Suzanne Sittko, Laurel Chor, Aroha Savage, Bella Milo, Stephanie Cuvelier, Nadia Cuvilier, Tanya Young, Caitlin Spencer, Rebecca Thompson, Zoë Smith
Reserves: Riva Brill, Wing Yan Leung, Amelie Seure, Jade Birkby, Jessica Eden, Kelsie Bouttle, Shan Shan Sandra Pong
Tries: Bella Milo (2), Nadia Cuvilier, Aroha Savage (2), Stephanie Cuvelier, Riva Brill, Rebecca Thompson, Jessica Eden, Kelsie Bouttle
Conversions: Zoe Smith 3, Bella Milo

CWB Phoenix: 
Tsang Siu Ching,Tin Yan, Dora Chim, Chin Po Po, Chan Yan Yi, Hau Yan, Tina Ho, Kong ‘Koko’ Yin Ting, Tsang Ching Man, Sin Man Ng, Au To, Kwok ‘Dira’ Yuk Lin, Chan Po Tung, Ka Ling Martini Ip, Liu Kit Ying, Wong Sze Man, See Wai June Au
Reserves: Kwan Ki Chan, Wong Man Yan, Lam Ka Wai, Li Man Yi, Mo Tsz Ching, Suet Ying Lo, Wing Chi Jenny Wong

USRC Tigers 27-0 Kowloon
@ KG V, Kick-off: 18:00

National League 1

Tai Po Dragons 0-46 Gai Wu Fawkes
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 15:00

USRC Tigers 0-26 Revolution SRC
@ KG V, Kick-off: 16:30

Valley Red 15-5 HK Scottish Kukris
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 18:00

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Valley-Black-v-CWB-Phoenix-So-Kon-Po-7-October-2017/i-b4KFNdC

National League 2

Tin Shui Wai 10-31 Kowloon
@ Tai Hang Tung, Kick-off: 16:30

HKFC Fire 0-34 Police Sirens
@ HK Football Club, Kick-off: 18:00

University 0-71 CWB Lammergeier
@ So Kon Po, Kick-off: 18:00

City 5-5 Gai Wu Hawks
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 18:00

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Valley-Black-v-CWB-Phoenix-So-Kon-Po-7-October-2017/i-BTjCRKZ

Gai Wu Falcons 27-10 City Sparkle @ Happy Valley – 7 October, 2017

Gai Wu Falcons beat City Sparkle comfortably 27-10 at Happy Valley Recreation ground. In hot but breezy conditions the game got off to a flying start when Gai Wu won a penalty within the first two minutes. Kicking for territory and winning the line out, an inside pass to Chan Lap Ting had spectators thinking Falcon’s could take the lead early. Sparkle defended well and a Gai Wu infringement saw City win a scrum on their five-metre line, allowing them to kick the ball clear.

The first 20 minutes had little to separate the teams with Falcons retaining slightly more possession. Sparkle briefly looked to go on the attack but Falcons won a penalty for City not releasing the ball. Kicking for territory they pushed Sparkle back onto their 22. Sparkle defended well but when Cheng Man King went to clear the ball it was intercepted by flanker Ching Tsz Yung in who charged through and over the try line to put Falcons ahead 5-0.

Bolstered by the confidence of a score Gai Wu needed just eight minutes to add to their total. This time, flanker Tsz Yung with an inside pass to outside centre Chiu Wing Sze who finished easily.

The Sparkle backline lost Tse Kar Man for 10 minutes courtesy of a yellow card for deliberate offside. Taking advantage of a weakened defence Gai Wu stretched Sparkle across the field. A wide pass from prop Lau Nga Wu to Lo Pui Shan on the left wing allowed her to score Gai Wu’s third try – 15-0 to the Falcons at half-time.

Gai Wu continued their dominance in the second half, Lock Chow Mei Nam needing just five minutes to scored the Falcon’s fourth try converted by fullback Lau Sze Wa.

Fine play by fly half Chui Kam Chi culminated with an inside pass to release Lau who almost outran the entire City defence before offloading a short pass to flanker Yip Hiu Ki, running hard in support, to added another five points to the score, 27-0.

Falcons looked on their way to a rout keeping City pinned in their half until Sparkles’ Cheng Man King turned the ball over on the Gai Wu 5 meter line and ran almost the full length of the field for a lovely try.

City attempted to fight back late in the second half and kept Gai Wu deep in their own half forcing the home team to defend their lead for the rest of the match. A quick inside flick from Sparkle’s Ng Yuk Yon to Tse Wing Kiu saw City add a second try for a final score of 27-10

Gai Wu Falcons: 1. Lau Nga Wun 劉雅緩; 2. Pun Wai Yan 潘慧欣; 3. Lee Ka Shun 李嘉萱; 4. Wong Ka Yin 黃家妍; 5. Chow Mei Nam 鄒美楠; 6. Ching Tsz Yung 程子容; 7. Yip Hiu Ki 葉曉琪; 8. Chan Ka Yan 陳嘉欣; 9. Lai Pui Shan 黎珮珊; 10. Chui Kam Chi 徐金枝; 11. Lo Pui Shan 羅佩珊; 12. Ho Hoi Lam 何凱琳; 13. Chiu Wing See 趙穎思; 14. Lum Ka Ching 藍嘉晴; 15. Lau Sze Wa 劉絲樺;
Reserve: 16. Lam Ka Wai 林嘉慧; 17. Lee Wing Yan 李穎欣; 18. Ng Ki Sum 吳其芯; 19. Man Yuen Yan 文琬茵; 20. Man Po Kei 文寶琪; 21. Fung Hoi Ching 馮凱晴; 22. Chan Wan Sum 陳韻心; 23. Chan Lap Ting 陳立婷

Valley Black 58-0 CWB Phoenix @ So Kon Po – 7 October, 2017

Valley Black soundly beat a solid and competitive CWB Phoenix 58-0 at So Kon Po. However it wasn’t until Valley unleashed their returning HK International Sevens players in the last quarter that the scoreboard started to bloat. Until then CWB, while never really looking likely to score or spend extend periods in the Valley 22, had contained and frustrated a repeatedly penalized Valley side.

CWB Phoenix are young side building a solid team, they work hard together and defend well as a unit. CWB’s lineout was working well and they’d obviously decided pre-match to sit back and defend along their 22.

Valley won the first scrum against the head in the centre of the pitch and a sweeping backline move launched by a barnstorming run from the base of the scrum by Aroha Savage saw left winger Nadia Cuvilier touch down for the first try of the game on 10 minutes. Zoe Smith converted Valley 7-0.

Valley’s backs when the get it together are a beautiful attacking force, but too often passes went astray or runners chose the wrong option and CWB were able to defend quite comfortably – even if they never crossed the halfway line. The Phoenix back line looked to change that on the quarter hour and break forward only for a forward pass to gift the ball to Valley who broke quickly.

A crunching try saving tackle on the right wing by CWB’s Wong Sze Man only delayed the inevitable as Valley swung the ball the width of the pitch and Savage finished off the move started by Stephanie Cuvelier, 12-0 after 18 minutes.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Valley-Black-v-CWB-Phoenix-So-Kon-Po-7-October-2017/i-BTjCRKZ

The Phoenix finally emerged from their own half and looked to test the Valley defence as Ka Ling Martini Ip broke into the Valley 22. A strong run by Tsang Siu Ching through the heart of the Valley pack saw CWB almost to the try line only for the Black to steal the ball and kick it clear. Chasing the kick down Valley winger Smith wasted a three on one overlap by cutting inside only to run straight into Sin Man Ng whose solid tackle saved a certain try.

Valley’s player-coach Bella Milo is obviously getting a little frustrated by her teammates profligacy with the ball and with a lovely side step bursts through to score Valley third try on 30 minutes, 17-0.

Aroaha Savage show all her World Cup winning Black Fern style as she powered and danced through the Phoenix defence to touch down under the posts on the 35 minutes for her second try of the game. Smith converts 24-0 to Valley.

Valley press hard for another score before halftime, forcing CWB back over their own goal line to give the Black an attacking 5m scrum infront of the posts. Superb work from the Phoenix pack sees them win the ball against the head with Kwok ‘Dira’ Yuk Lin leading the breakout with a strong run as they fly up the pitch. Lock Chan Yan Yi breaks clean though Valley’s backline but a lack of support denies CWB their first points as she hasn’t the legs to outrun the chasing defenders.

The 24-0 half-time score is a little misleading, while Valley are deservedly ahead they’re not playing well and are giving away a lot of penalties in the ruck. CWB don’t look as though they have the weapons to open up Valley, but for the most part look comfortable in defence, playing well together and defending as a team.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Valley-Black-v-CWB-Phoenix-So-Kon-Po-7-October-2017/i-b4KFNdC

CWB working hard at the breakdown and Valley give away another penalty. CWB’s kick to touch misses and Valley look to profit, Lin though wins the ball back and again breaks through the Valley line to put the Blacks on the back foot.

Milo though is having none of it, bursting through the CWB pack on the halfway line and just has the legs to place the ball under the posts for Valley’s first points in 20 minutes, Smith converts 29-0.

Another strong run by Lin, who’s having a fine game is stopped by a solid tackle. Valley’s depth starts to show, a strong run down the wing by substitute Jessica Eden who passes inside for Stephanie Cuvelier to score her first and the Black’s sixth try. Smith converts again, 36-0 after 62 minutes.

Phoenix have no answer to Valley’s pacey HK Sevens players and a minute later a strong run from Amelie Seure sets up Riva Brill to score with almost her first touch of ball, 41-0. Three minutes later it’s Kelsie Bouttle putting her pace and recent World Cup experience to good use to set up Rebecca Thompson for try number eight, 46-0 after 66 minutes.

CWB rally well after conceding the three quick tries but fatigue is pulling at the legs of the Phoenix players and only some resolute last ditch tackling is keeping Valley from scoring. A poor pass though sees Bouttle pounce for a simple try under the posts which Milo converts 53-0 on 73 minutes.

A strong team effort from CWB, but the Phoenix’s flames are finally extinguished when a massive 7 on 1 overlap sees Eden score her second as time expires – final score 58-0.

Valley Black:
KK Wong, Li Lai Mang Becky, Ching To Cheng, Deena Ravi Thinakaran, Karen So, Suzanne Sittko, Laurel Chor, Aroha Savage, Bella Milo, Stephanie Cuvelier, Nadia Cuvilier, Tanya Young, Caitlin Spencer, Rebecca Thompson, Zoë Smith
Reserves: Riva Brill, Wing Yan Leung, Amelie Seure, Jade Birkby, Jessica Eden, Kelsie Bouttle, Shan Shan Sandra Pong
Tries: Bella Milo (2), Nadia Cuvilier, Aroha Savage (2), Stephanie Cuvelier, Riva Brill, Rebecca Thompson, Jessica Eden, Kelsie Bouttle
Conversions: Zoe Smith 3, Bella Milo

CWB Phoenix: 
Tsang Siu Ching,Tin Yan, Dora Chim, Chin Po Po, Chan Yan Yi, Hau Yan, Tina Ho, Kong ‘Koko’ Yin Ting, Tsang Ching Man, Sin Man Ng, Au To, Kwok ‘Dira’ Yuk Lin, Chan Po Tung, Ka Ling Martini Ip, Liu Kit Ying, Wong Sze Man, See Wai June Au
Reserves: Kwan Ki Chan, Wong Man Yan, Lam Ka Wai, Li Man Yi, Mo Tsz Ching, Suet Ying Lo, Wing Chi Jenny Wong

法興銀行華利女子欖球會 (Valley Black)今日在掃捍埔球場大敗SCAA第一太平銅鑼灣鳳凰欖球會(鳳凰)。雖然成績如此,但華利是在最後15分鐘才陸續入球的,而鳳凰隊雖然沒有得分,但他們的壓迫進攻令華利多次犯規。

鳳凰隊多是年輕球員,但他們有很好的團結性,令他們的防守非常一致。從比賽中可以看到鳳凰隊的戰術是在22米線努力防守。

開場十分鐘,華利在中場爭球成功,由Aroha Savage傳給左邊邊鋒球員Nadia Cuvilier達陣,再由Zoe Smith 踢入,華利7比0。

華利的9號至15號經常做出漂亮的攻擊,可惜太多失誤的傳球和後援的錯誤判斷,令鳳凰隊的防守非常輕鬆。在比賽二十分鐘左右,鳳凰隊大力進攻,可惜傳球失誤,華利奪回控球權。本來鳳凰隊的11號球員Wong Sze Man可以攔截Savage的入球,可惜Stephanie Cuvelier在分毫間打球傳了出去,12比0。

鳳凰隊測試自己的實力,由Ka Ling Martini攻入華利的22米線。Tsang Siu Ching的一個勁跑,達陣線就在眼前。可惜華利偷波成功,把球踢出,解除威脅。

華利的球員兼教練Bella Milo顯然對球員的表現不太滿意,他用漂亮的腳法在三十分鐘為球隊取得第三個達陣,17比0。

在35分鐘,Aroaha Savage充分表現出他在為紐西蘭國家隊打世界盃的姿態,力量和步法,令鳳凰隊難以防守,再一次入球, 24比0。

在上半場完場前,華利繼續猛攻,但Kwok “Dira” Yuk Lin 和Chan Yan Yi的強勁防守,本可為鳳凰隊取得分數,可惜步伐還是不及華利的快。

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 7 October, 2017