In the Women’s Premiership this weekend HKFC Ice will be looking to parlay their strong performance against Valley Black last week into a result when they take on Gai Wu Falcons (18:00, KG V). That’s directly after Valley look to remind USRC Tigers why they are unbeaten in 50 games (16:30, KGV).
Kowloon Ladies and Tai Po Dragons are the two sides atop the Women’s Premiership Development league and they meet at Shek Kip Mei (18:00), each having played and beaten the other two teams, Comvita City Sparkle and SCAA First Pacific CWB Phoenix, who face off at 17:30 at Education University Hong Kong.
The Kowloon – Tai Po game should be competitive with both sides winning twice in the Premiership Development. Earlier this season, in the opening game, newly promoted Tai Po prevailed 12-10.
Kowloon coach Jonathan Ho believes his side are ready to rise to the occasion this time. “We’re definitely out for revenge [after losing that first match] and this is a must-win if we are going to top the Premiership Development,” he said.
“It definitely won’t be an easy match but everything is looking according to plan for us. The last two games and our overall performance recently have really boosted confidence and raised atmosphere in the team. If our players are able to maintain that confidence, we can win this round.”
“We [the two teams] play a quite similar style, aiming to play for the wings, with not so much of a forwards game. So it will be about possession and speed down the line and on the wing. I think it will be close,” adds Ho.
Ho has some injury and availability concerns. Fly half Victoria Wong Ching Hei is recovering from a twisted ankle, and remains doubtful. Full back Fung Wai Man and prop Chan Sin Ying are both unavailable. “Every match is a tight game. Our girls are rising to that and we’re building our confidence. We know we are improving but we have to keep working because we don’t have the chance to play with the top teams. When we get to the Grand Championships, I hope we don’t have a rude awakening,” Ho added.
Tai Po coach Tsang Hing Hung has ambitions to challenge the top of this league, and sees the earlier win over Kowloon as one in the bank and wants to defend that success this time out. “If we can win this game, we’ll be top of the bottom group, and that is our immediate goal,” he said.
“We’ve focused on our defence in training. Kowloon have a pretty good, multi-functional attack, with Cindy Yuen as a playmaker. She is a very skillful and smart player but didn’t play in the last game against us, so we are preparing for that. But We are also really confident in our attack and if we can organise our defence, we can win this game,” continues Tsang.
The Premiership was perhaps a tougher challenge than Tsang had anticipated. “We were a little bit disappointed to end [the first part of the season] in the bottom four. Our target was to be top four but we lost a close game against Football Club while we had players away on national duty. But being in the bottom four is good for our development. The level here is quite close, and allows us to develop some of our young girls. Now our aim is to be top of this group,” he observes.
Tsang will be without key players as youngster Lam Tim Yeung and veteran Ivy Kwong Sau Yan, as well as Poon Hoi Yan and Chan Tsz Ching are all away on national duty.
In the Women’s National League 2, leaders SCAA CWB Lammergeier will hope to take home the WNL2 Challenge Shield for a fourth consecutive week when they play eighth-placed City RFC Twinkles (4pm, HKIED). Revolution SRC, who last week took possession of the WNL1 Challenge Shield, are on a bye this week.
Additional reporting/images: hkru