Natasha Olson-Thorne was outstanding as USRC Tigers eked out a 10-7 victory over HKFC Ice. The Hong Kong international made some crunching tackles at key moments and scored both of Tigers tries against an Ice side who put in their best performance of the season so far but came up just short.
HKFC playing in their fetching pink and blue hoops, are a bit sloppy at the start and concede an early penalty just inside their own half. Rather than kicking for touch and taking the lineout the Tigers opted for a shot at goal, something you often see in men’s internationals where a lot of time is spent practicing kicking, but a rarity in the women’s game. It’s a fine attempt, on target but falls a little short.
The early play is fractured with neither side able to string multiple phases of play together – through some solid defence and casual handling errors. Ice steal the ball and look to attack but cough-up the ball courtesy of a thumping defensive tackle by Olson-Thorne. The Tigers kick it deep and get a very favourable bounce but can’t make anything of it. HKFC move the ball downfield only to penalised for hands in the ruck.
Olson-Thorne makes a break through the middle, offloading to Charlotte Myrans who’s stopped just short of the goal line. USRC ups the pressure and HKFC are trapped in their own in-goal area and are forced to concede a 5m scrum. The Tiger can’t take advantage of the good field position. Rachel Fong breaks out for Ice and sees open grass infront of her… Only for an instant though as Olson-Thorne makes another crunching tackle to end the HKFC attack.
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Ice recycle and Megan Richardson makes a break in the centre of the park only to be hauled back by her ponytail in a cynical and dangerous tackle by Charlotte Myrans who gets a yellow card and 10 minutes in the sin bin.
HKFC look to take advantage of the extra player and press the Tigers back deep in their own half before knocking-on. Olson-Thorne scoops up the ball, breaks three tackles and thunders 70m to score a stunning solo try on 26 minutes, 5-0.
Unfased by a moment of brilliance, Ice work the ball upfield again. The USRC defence stands firm and mount their own attack, almost scoring again in the corner. A solid Ice tackle forces a lineout instead. HKFC win the lineout and kick it deep and clear. Pou Fan Lai takes the ball cleanly passes it out to Olson-Thorne who powers her way through the Ice backline and into the corner for her second try. 10-0 after 33 minutes.
Ice kick the restart deep looking to pen the Tigers inside their own 5m, but USRC are starting to purr and suddenly it’s Oslon-Thorne again who’s away sprinting the length of the pitch looking odds on for her hat-trick. Fantastic chasing back from Crystal Wray (?) and an excellent tackle inches from the goal line saves 5 points. The Tigers can’t force the ball home, so the score remains 10-0 at half time.
USRC kicks deep and tackles hard as they look to keep Ice holed up inside their own 22. Bobby Wilson has other ideas and with a strong run breaks the Tigers grip, support though is slow to arrive and the counter-attack stalls. The ball is recycled and the Ice forwards drive for the line, the ball is lost forward though and the chance gone.
From the resulting scrum HKFC have USRC backpedaling and the ball pops out nicely for Sam Tipene who scores near the posts. Rachel Fong converts via the upright. 10-7, Ice trail by three points with over 30 minutes left in the second half.
Football Club kick deep and Tigers work the ball out but loose it forward. Another strong run from Wilson puts the Ice on the attack – the ball is lost in the tackle and it’s Olson-Thorne again making another break. As the Tiger recycle in search of another score. Ice steal the ball, but they can’t escape their own 22 and the Tigers look to strike again.
It’s getting a bit tense and testy out-there with meaty tackles and strong hits flying in as both teams push hard for the next score. A strong run from Jamie Ho gives Ice a chance but support is slow to arrive and the USRC defence reforms and looks to attack.
The Tigers have a line-out, the ball is overthrown though and Ice take advantage and it’s Wilson with another strong run over halfway. She looses the ball in the tackle and the USRC backline try to take advantage of the ragged Ice line, the pass is poor and again the chance disappears.
Ice come again as Crystal Wray powers down the wing, a go ahead try in touching distance and thump – it’s Olson-Thorne again with a thunderous try-saving tackle. Kristie Ka Hei Kwok brings the ball out and as the clock starts to wind down the pressure on both sides increases.
From a Tigers lineout Olson-Thorne makes for the line dragging three Football Club defenders with her. The attack peters out and it’s Wilson again who breaks out for Ice, her support is slow to arrive and Tigers look to hold onto the ball to see the game out.
A knock on inside the Tigers 22 give HKFC a scrum and one final chance at victory. The scrum is solid the ball released to the backs who can’t hold on and the pass goes down. Tigers hold on, just, to win by three points – final score 10-7.
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USRC Tigers
Sin Hang Ho, Charlotte Myrans, Wong Yuen Shan, Kristie Ka Hei Kwok, Tsz Lam Au Yeung, Wai Yan Lo, Wing Ni Siu, Abbey Rivers, Jessica Ho, Sarah Swinbanks, Liu Ting, Ka Man Nam, Natasha Olson-Thorne, Hebe Talas, Pou Fan Lai
Reserve: Christy Tse, Maylynn Ng, Lok Kwan Chan, Lok Tung Cheung, Wing Yan Cheung, Wing Yi Chan, Wong Kai Ying, Yu Ching Tam
Tries: Natasha Olson-Thorne
HKFC Ice
Cheryl Gourley, Fion Got 葛蕊霆, Megan Richardson, Claire Forster, Angelina Cheung 張彥龍, Sam Tipene, Martha Webber, Bobby Wilson, Steph Heathcote 許詩樂, Rachel Fong 方小晴, Crystal Wray, Jordyn Rear, Jáime Ho 何沅穎, Stephanie Siu蕭湘儀, Rachel Crothers,
Reserve: Denise Chan 陳雅姿, Shonagh Ryan, Zuzanna Osinska, Royce Chan 陳朗詩, Bernie Bray, Kim Lam 林琬淇, Helen Lee 李沛殷, Maggie Wong
Try: Sam Tipene
Conversion: Rachel Fong
三軍會猛虎欖球會(猛虎)以10比7的成績,,戰勝Natixis香港足球會(港會)。而Natasha Olson-Thorne居功不少。她作出多個重要的攔截,再加上今場的兩個入球。雖然港會陣容已是今季最強,可惜還是不敵。
講會穿上粉紅和藍色的戰衣,很有活力。可惜剛開場便犯規,給予猛虎進攻機會。猛虎選擇罰踢,但腳力不足,短了一截。選擇罰踢而不是帶球進攻多出現在男士的橄欖球比賽中,雖然猛虎沒有踢人,但是很好的嘗試。
比賽早期雙方勢均力敵,雙方都有很好的防守和少許持球失誤。港會進攻,但Olson-Thorne漂亮的攔截到。猛虎大腳踢出,但被港會接到,轉為反攻。可惜在爭球處出現失誤,Olson-Thorne看準機會衝出叢圍,再把球傳到Charlotte Myrans。本來可以成為今場的第一個入球,但被港會方小晴攔截到。
Megan Richardson 持球衝出,但被Charlotte Myrans抓住頭髮。雖然球被攔截到,但這屬於危險攔截,球證發出了今場的第一個黃牌,出場十分鐘。
港會本來想利用15人對14人的這個機會得分,可惜傳球失誤,Olson-Thorne趁機繞過三個攔截,直奔70米達陣, 5比0。
改為港會持球,但猛虎防守嚴密,並沒有給予機會。Lai Pou Fan 把球爭回,傳給Olson-Thorne。她奮力進攻,衝過港會的後衛們,在邊角達陣,賽事33分鐘,成績10比0。
港會嘗試把猛虎壓在他們的五米線內,但Oslon-Thorne 突然衝出,準備做出她的第三個入球。但最後關頭給Crystal Wray攔截到,半場總成績維持10比0。
猛虎嘗試把港會壓在她們的22米線內。但Bobby Wilson突圍而出,可惜增援來得太晚,錯失機會。
港會在爭球區作出強而有力的反攻,球傳至Sam Tipene達陣,再由方小晴踢入, 成績10比7。
Bobby Wilson再接再厲,帶球進攻,可惜遭到Olson-Thorne的攔截。何沅穎亦有機會進攻,可惜增援亦來得太晚。
港會再有多次進攻,可惜都給猛虎攔截到。加上港會的增援速度太慢,令她們錯失很多入球機會。
橄欖球是一項團體活動, 不可能只靠一人的努力。但需要加獎的還是需要的,例如Olson-Thorne,她在過去18個月裏進步神速,全靠教練Anna Richard, Jo Hull 等等的努力和幫助。
images: bc magazine, hkru