Category: 2019

To keep their dream of defending their championship double alive, Gai Wu Falcons will need to see off USRC Tigers at Kings’ Park on Saturday (18:00). A bonus point win over Tigers will set up a winner-take-all clash with unbeaten table toppers Valley Black on the final league weekend of the season.

Valley are likely to prove too much for an injury-depleted Kowloon in Happy Valley (18:00). In Premiership A action, table toppers HKFC Ice take on third place Tai Po Dragons at HK Football Club (1800), while second-placed Causeway Bay Phoenix play City Sparkle at KGV at 17.30.

Gai Wu have come on strong since the split in the league competition at the end of 2018, putting their game faces on for the business end of the season. Coach Lai Yiu-pang has been slowly introducing new players throughout the campaign and the team are starting to see the fruits of his and their hard work on the training pitch.

“I think the team understand where our strengths are now. The team is finding its way to play. They have a better understanding of our own team and our strengths, particularly our forward pack, and how to play to those strengths and gain control and manage games better,” Lai said.

The two sides have split their encounters to date this season with Tigers taking a 34-5 win in November, before Falcons gained a measure of revenge with a 20-7 win on the final league weekend prior to Chinese New Year.

Lai believes his team is entering the tiebreaker with more spring in their step but remains concerned about the trials of facing Tigers and Valley back-to-back.

“We took a lot of confidence from our last game with Tigers, so hopefully, we can replicate that again, but it will be a bit tough given the break and some injured players have been a bit slower to recover than we had expected before the break.

“We had some really good momentum going, so the break was really a bit of a distraction. That is why this week’s training is so crucial. We need to get everyone back in and re-focus now.”

Lai is fully aware that despite the roundabout season his side remains in contention to defend their Premiership and Grand Champion titles, particularly with the end of this season looking remarkably similar to last, when Gai Wu pipped Valley for the Premiership title in the final league match of the year.

“We are still in the race. If we can get another bonus point against Tigers then we will have a shot next week. Mathematically we are still in it, but we won’t be if we don’t focus on this week’s game.

“We have to make it happen now.”

Additional reporting and images: hkru, Takumi Photography

The USRC Tigers will face the rugby juggernaut that is Valley Black in the Women’s Premiership while Gai Wu Falcons fresh from their Tuesday night defeat of the Tigers will tackle Kowloon. SCAA Causeway Bay Phoenix host the Taipo Dragons at So Kon Po as HKFC Ice take on City Sparkle at Football Club in the minor Premiership.

After the mid-week 20-7 loss to Gai Wu, USRC will take on the undefeated Valley, who look to have pushed their lead at the top of the table beyond the reach of the Kowloon club, particularly after the Gai Wu loss ended up hurting more than the Tigers table hopes.

The Tigers lost two key players in that game with squad lynchpin and Hong Kong international Natasha Olson-Thorne and up-and-comer Lara Schats both suffering injuries that will sideline them for the remainder of the season.

The defeat, combined with the injuries, have resigned the club to focusing their expectations on making a positive run in the Grand Championships admitted coach Fan Shun-kei.

“I think our focus now shifts to the Grand Championships because realistically it is hard for us to get the league title. So we plan to have a real crack at the Grand Championship now. There is a high potential we could meet Gai Wu in the semi final, so I think we may shift a bit of focus to preparing for that game.”

Of course, a win this weekend over an imposing Valley could change Fan’s focus marginally, particularly with Gai Wu facing the Tigers after the Lunar New Year.

“Mathematically for us it’s still quite hard, but I think the biggest problem at the moment is that our numbers are a bit tight in terms of impact players. I hope that the other players will step up into the gap and we won’t pick up any more injuries this season,” said Fan.

“Hopefully we will come back after New Year stronger and well rested, and we can play a bit more team-focused rugby, rather than individual rugby.”

The silver lining for Tigers is the positive role the support players have already had this season.

“This season, we have had a lot of new, young talent emerging in Lara, Maelle Picut, Amy Pyle, and Sarah Lucas. Even though they are just in their first or second seasons playing senior rugby, they have been called up and featured in the women’s sevens squad already.

“We are also getting more numbers through across the board at the club across. This year we have been able to field sides in the Premiership and NL1, and a lot of players from NL1 have played in the Premiership already this year, so hopefully that will help them now in stepping up.

“Most importantly we have built a really positive culture and environment between both teams, which is something that we need to rely on now. That is the key for us in future, keep on developing players and adding them in with our established senior players,” Fan added.

Given the team’s depth Fan still has plenty of talent to work with and will shift Hong Kong sevens squad veteran Lindsay Vary into the centres against Valley.

“Lindsay will step in as cover for Natasha at outside centre. She has played a few games this year there already and she understands our opponents quite well. Hopefully, her physicality can help us compete with some of Valley’s big ball carriers like Bella [Milo] and Colleen [Tjosvold].”

Fan’s emphasis on containing Valley is evident pre-game as the Tigers hopes of handing Valley its first loss of the season hinge on an intense but disciplined effort up front.

“To beat Valley, we have to win the scrum. They have a very good scrum and a big weight advantage on us there, so our defence has to be perfect. Our forwards have got to be there and maintain a high-pressure defence but also keep our discipline.

“Last time against them we gave them penalties so easily, we were almost inviting them into our 22. They have a good pack that can punish you with driving mauls or their pick-and-go game. Our discipline in our pressure defence will be crucial,” Fan added.

Additional reporting and images: hkru