Category: voices

It’s with a heavy heart that I take over the match reporting pen from the ever enthralling Sarah Higgins. It is my hope, that I can provide at least a fraction of the grit, passion and pun filled reviews that she has so excellently delivered.

It was a tense start in the WNL1 QFs with both teams, HKCC Babes & Comvita City Sparkle prepared to battle it out until the final whistle to continue their aspirations of silverware. Despite both teams being poised and ready to go, it was a scratch side put together at the last moment by HKCC due to an ever lengthening list of injuries, illness, work and travel commitments.

Comvita Citys’ speedy backline attacked with deft pace & within minutes of KO, it was clear that HKCC’s defense was not nearly as strong as it has been in weeks gone by. Fly half, and player of the match, Harriet Jamieson desperately managed a new backline and dominated the pitch. Her relentless tackling prevented a number of scoring opportunities but with too many gaps in the HKCC defense, City were quick to capitalize on opportunity and charged through the open spaces, scoring a series of tries.

Regrouping under the posts Captain Carolyn Champion offered words of wisdom to rally her troupes. The outcome was strong running, with ball in hand, from the forwards making precious yards but then the despair of turnover ball at the ruck and retaliation from City which more than often resulted in an accumulating tally of tries. While the Babes have come a long way in their impressive reemergence at XV-a-side rugby this season, they proved to themselves and their sideline support, there is always room for improvement.

At half time the cricketers were desperate to turn the game around and with a cavalry of fresh legs, some of those who were carrying injuries were able to take respite on the sideline. The borrowed, begged and to coin the term loosely ‘stolen’ players from HKU slotted in & gave the team the boost to go on and allow City to only cross the line a further two times. With a final score line of 62-0, we’re sure anyone reading this would agree, that’s quite a remarkable second half effort.

We offer our deepest congratulations to City, who managed to take out two of our more experienced players with completely torn ACLs in an earlier season match, for the development they have shown this season. It was like playing against a totally different team to the beginning of the season and we wish them all the best in the coming SF.

In what has been a season of growth for women’s rugby in Hong Kong – particularly with the establishment of the Women’s National League 1 and importantly the reemergence of the Hong Kong Cricket Club Women’s XVs team (formerly Aberdeen RFC) though we culminate the season by bowing out, if you were to see us post match, you would know we are all winners. HK-CC!