This week’s match report for the HKCC Babes is going to read a lot like Kevin Pietersen’s autobiography. For one, your correspondent was named HKCC player of the game, so lot of it is going to focus on how awesome I am and how no-one else did anything (ed: don’t worry reader, we’ve edited all those bits out). Another reason is that it was a riveting game, with enough twists and turns and mini-plots for a whole novel.
Saturday’s game was the late kick-off at KGV, in dark and cool conditions. Revolution were gunning for revenge following the previous match-up between these two teams, on the same field, and started brightly, fielding the kick off well and making good ground. Revolution backs made great use of the full width of the field, with an especially impressive fly half distributing well. This lead to the first try of the game, as a well-executed loop play saw Revolution 13 cut through the defensive line to touch down. A second try soon followed, and as Revolution grew in confidence, they also began to kick more, testing HKCC’s fullback, Karen Chiu, who impressed in defence making good tracking runs and a number of try saving tackles in only her first season playing rugby. Finally, one such kick took an unlucky bounce, and with a third try secured (but unconverted), the Babes had a tough fightback on their hands.
The Babes attacking platform started with the scrum, which, though solid in the drive struggled to control the ball. Consequently, quick ball was proving elusive, and the game became bogged down in a succession of rucks. Direct running over the gainline soon fixed that, making good ground and allowing Captain Carolyn Champion, at 12, to feed Tinley Wong for Babes’ first try.
And the scrum dominance was asserted shortly after halftime, when Revolution were reduced to 14 following injury after HKCC steamrollered their scrum once too often (happy to report that none of these injuries were serious). Despite the deficit, the back and forth continued, so much so that your correspondent apparently lost track of two tries (one apiece). If found, please return these tries to their rightful owners. As in previous games, HKCC dominated possession but were vulnerable to breakaways. Jo Harvey went unrewarded for her sterling effort in making 20 yards with players hanging off her only to be judged held up over the line, but almost immediately the prospect of a fightback was dented by Revolution, kicking through again for their fifth and final try.
Undeterred, HKCC won turnover ball straight away from the kick off, and their Babes’ second try was brought about by quick thinking on the part of Lynda Nazer feeding quick ball down the line to Tinley Wong who touched down besides the posts, Harriet Jamieson adding the 2 points. One highlight of the game for the Babes is certainly the blossoming partnership between Nazer and Jamieson at 9 and 10, who had the back line moving much more fluidly in the second half.
But, unfortunately, like Pietersen’s England career, the game ended on a slightly sour note, as the referee missed a raised flag from the touch judge with Revolution sprinting downfield. Raised voices from the sidelines inflamed the situation, and play was suspended for several minutes. Although both team captains did a good job of ensuring that the full spirit of the game was maintained on the field, the momentum being built by HKCC was certainly stopped dead in its tracks and the game fizzled out, with Revolution kicking into touch to seal their hard-fought and well-defended victory.
And with that, the Ladies Division 1 season takes its Christmas Break. Happy Holidays!