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。