Unbeaten Streak Ends, Gai Wu Falcons 22-15 Valley Black

After several close games recently Gai Wu Falcons ended Valley Black’s unbeaten streak at 51 games with a 22-15 win over the three times defending champions.

The win puts the Falcons on top of the Women’s Premiership table on 16 points, one ahead of Valley, with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

In the other Premiership matches USRC Tigers beat HKFC Ice 44-12,  CWB Phoenix returned to form with a 24-10 win over Kowloon while Tai Po Dragons beat City Sparkle 47-0.

Ahead of the clash with Valley, Gai Wu coach Sailo Lai Yiu-pang had commented that the lengthy lay-off for both teams could be a factor,and predicted that the result would come down to the team with the superior intensity.

It was his side that came through in the end, with a massive defensive effort keeping the Falcons in the match for the full 80 minutes and putting them in position to score two tries in the dying minutes, turning a 15-12 deficit into the eventual 22-15 win.

Lai was ecstatic with the result, which has been a longtime coming for the Falcons, who have finished as league runners-up and lost the Grand Championship finals to Valley for the last three seasons.

“It was amazing. Our defence was massive. We won this game because we defended well. We held out not just once but twice on our try line. Mentally, we were spot on and kept a high focus for the entire 80 minutes. We lost momentum once, but then we got it back and were able to maintain it for the full 80.”

Lai hailed the effort of the entire squad, saying, “We played as a team, which you can see from the scoring–two tries from the backs and two from the forwards. It was a true team effort.”

Valley went all-out in attack early on with No.8 Aroha Savage scoring in the opening minutes with fullback Zoe Smith converting to give the defending champions an early 7-0 lead.

Gai Wu mustered some impressive rear-guard defence to keep Valley from extending its lead by holding them up twice on the try-line, before they were able to mount their own forays into their opponents half.

When they did they made them count. Christy Cheng Ka-chi opened the scoring for Gai Wu in her first game of the season after returning from an injury suffered in the World Cup. Showing her sevens versatility, Cheng forced a gap in the Valley defence close to the line before charging over for the score.

Falcons’ second try came off another line-break with the ball wending its way to centre Greer Muir who outpaced two defenders in a 40-metre sprint for the line to give Gai Wu a 12-7 lead after the conversion heading into the half-time break.

Valley player-coach Bella Milo willed her side back into the affair with an early second-half try to level the scores at 12-all, before Smith gave Valley back the lead at 15-12 after a successful drop goal.

That lead looked to be secure when Gai Wu lock Wong Ka-yin was yellow carded after 70 minutes, but Falcons found another level to close out the game with two tries in the right corner from Hong Kong standouts Aggie Poon Pak-yan and No. 8 Chan Ka-yan to seal the win.

After the game, Lai cautioned his charges to maintain not just their perspective, but also their performance.

“We have to take it game by game. If we can maintain our level of play like this we have a good chance of winning the league, but it’s down to how we perform weekin, weekout. We can’t let down now,” said Lai.

“But this win certainly gives us a lot of confidence. If we can defend like we did today, we can beat Valley again. It is a huge boost for us to be able to play against world-class players like Bella (Milo) and Aroha (Savage) and come away with the win. It’s the first time I’ve seen the girls so happy,” Lai added. “It’s the best game they’ve ever played, and they deserved that win.”

Milo agreed with Lai’s estimate in the final analysis saying, “They played really well. The game was won at the breakdown, which is where they came out faster and we couldn’t slow them down, but it just means we’ve got to work a bit harder. We’ve got to go back to the drawing board.”

Milo was intent on refocusing her side after the end of a winning streak that had extended for three full seasons– and very nearly a fourth – and is unlikely to be equalled in the annals of Hong Kong women’s rugby.

“It’s not the end of world. The streak had to end eventually and in that sense it is good that it happened now and not in the Grand Championships. At the final whistle there was disappointment for sure, a few tears in there, but it was a good kick up the bum, and will make us hungrier for the next games,” Milo warned.

In National League 1, Revolution SRC overcame Tai Po Dragons 2 36-5, to take home the NL1 Challenge Shield for a third time. While in National League 2 saw Police Sirens scored a feisty 20-17 win over CWB Lammergeier to take possession of the NL 2 Challenge Shield and end the league leaders’ five-match run.

Additional reporting and images: hkru

Gai Wu Target Unbeaten Valley as Premiership Returns

Valley Black take on Gai Wu Falcons this weekend at Aberdeen Stadium (16.30) as the Women’s Premiership returns after it’s winter break.

The battle of Hong Kong’s two top women’s rugby outfits is the highlight of a full day of women’s rugby action. USRC Tigers tackle HKFC Ice at King’s Park (18.00), CWB Phoenix play Kowloon at Shek Kip Mei (15.00) and Tai Po Dragons play City Sparkle at the same ground at 16.30.

Valley and Gai Wu resume their rivalry as the Grand Championships beckons… Valley unbeaten for three seasons top the league with a perfect 3-0 record and 14 points. The Falcons are in second on 11 points, with a 2-1 record, their only loss coming to Valley in a 21-14 thriller at the end of last year.

Both sides are close to full strength with the Falcons looking forward to the season debut of Hong Kong ace Christy Cheng Ka-chi after she was sidelined with an elbow injury at the Women’s Rugby World Cup last summer. Valley will have to wait a bit longer for the return of their star forward Amelie Seure, who looks set to return to action in the coming weeks.

The Falcons will also be looking to ease Cheng and Seure’s Hong Kong sevens squad teammate Melody Li Nim-yan back into action after a lengthy injury lay-off. ‘Sailo’ Lai Yiu-pang, coach of Gai Wu is happy with the way his side has been preparing to start the final season push.

“Training last night was really good. It’s always difficult getting every one back into performance mode but everyone put their hands up and got back to business. Both teams will probably take a little time to get their fitness levels up to peak so it’s all about how much determination the players on both sides have to win on Saturday. They have to transfer that intensity into the game situation,” said Lai.

“It’s going to be 80 minutes of tough rugby, so we need to be ready to play the whole game, not just show up for a half or fade out for 10 or 20 minutes. Last time against Valley, we had plenty of opportunities but we made too many mistakes, so we will have to play smart. We have to avoid making the mistakes that give away penalties, and we need to build up our momentum and hold control for good periods,” Lai added.

Valley coach Bella Milo is also leery of any residual holiday rust ahead of the crucial tie. “It’s been a long break and I think the girls are going to take a little bit to get out of the Christmas mode. It’s now about getting our shape for Saturday. Everyone is a bit cautious about how they will perform and how their bodies will hold up.

It’s going to be another tough game – it always is with Gai Wu. This weekend is a big game to kick off the new year and anything can happen. From what I’ve seen before Christmas, anyone [of the four teams in the elite Premiership division] can win. It’ll be interesting and exciting to watch,” said Milo.

Valley will be looking to make another statement of its status as the top side in Hong Kong against Gai Wu, but Milo is aware of some fixes that still need to be made.

“We want to go out and win our set pieces, especially our lineout, which has been troublesome recently. Before Christmas we were a little bit inconsistent with our player line-up, which hurt our performances. It would be good to have a consistent squad available each week, but that’s still a bit of an issue for us, so we will be looking to stabilise the squad in the weeks following.”

From the three-time successive Grand Champions, riding a 51-game winning streak, that will come as ominous news for the other sides in the competition.

The split into an elite and premiership competition has been a positive one for Kowloon who currently nest second behind Tai Po in the development league table with a 2-1 record after romps over Causeway Bay and City in the early going after the break.

Kowloon’s only loss since the split has come against first-placed Dragons who have a perfect 3-0 record since November. Causeway Bay are in third place with five points with City Sparkle still chasing a first win in the development competition.

There’s also a full schedule of matches in Women’s National Leagues 1 & 2

Additional reporting and images: hkru

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 13 January, 2018

Women’s Rugby Results – 16 December, 2017

National League 1

Tai Po Dragons v Valley Red
@ Shek Kip Mei, Kick-off: 16:30

Revolution SRC 41-8 HKCC
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 18:00

HK Scottish Kukris  10-12 Gai Wu Fawkes
@ Shek Kip Mei, Kick-off: 18:00

National League 2

CWB Lammergeier 42-0 Gai Wu Hawks
@ KG V, Kick-off: 16:30

Kowloon 12-24 HKFC Fire
@ KG V, Kick-off: 18:00

Police Sirens v Tin Shui Wai
@ Police Boundary Street, Kick-off: 18:00

Images: bc magazine, hkru

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 16 December, 2017

Women’s Rugby Results – 9 December, 2017

Premiership

Valley Black 30-15 USRC Tigers

@ KG V, Kick-off: 16:30

Valley Black: Akanisi Au Yeung, Jasmine Cheung, Li Lai Mang Becky, Wing Yan Leung, Ching To Cheng, Deena Ravi Thinakaran, Caitlin Spencer, Riva Brill, Aroha Savage, Colleen Tjosvold, Kelsie Bouttle, Tanya Young, Jessica Eden, Nadia Cuvilier, Laurel Chor, Zoë Smith
Reserve: KK Wong, Wing Suet Rachael Wong, Adrienne Davis, Bella Milo, Josephine Lalanne Tauzia, Karen So, Wong Hoi Yuet

USRC Tigers: Ka Po Ho, Charlotte Myrans, Wong Yuen Shan, Wing Lam Ho, Lok Kwan Chan, Christy Tse, Wing Ni Siu, Maelle Picut, Yuen Ting Liu, Lara Schats, Yu Ching Tam, Wai Yan Lo, Bo Yan Bena Yu, Cho Sze Yu, Hebe Talas
Reserve: Arianna Talas, Chan Lingling Elaine, Ho Siu Luen, Joyce Yung Man Ting, Lin Ming Sze, Maylynn Ng, Wing Yan Cheung

CWB Phoenix 38-8 City Sparkle

@ HKIED, Kick-off: 17:30

CWB Phoenix: Tsang Siu Ching, Chin Po Po, Ho Pui Ki, Chan Yan Yi, Hau Yan, Tina Ho, Tin Yan, Dora Chim, Tsang Ching Man, Ka Ling, Martini Ip, Ho Ting ‘Hoty’ Chan, See Wai June Au, Lam Ka Wai, Stephanie Chan, Kong ‘Koko’ Yin Ting, Chan Po Tung, Lau Sin Tung
Reserve: Cookie Man Sze Tse, Lin Yin, Chan Ka Wai, Hau Yi Chung, Li Man Yi, Suet Ni Pak, Suet Ying Lo

City Sparkle: Sze Yu Fu, Tin Yee Cheung, Ka Yan Fung, ChoYu Liu, Yu Ting ‘魚’ Wong, Sau Yan Lam, Kar Man Hilary Tse, Chun Yi Annie Ng, Tsz Wing Donis Fung, Agnes Tse, Shu Wan Au, Yuk Yan Ng, Man King Cheng, Hoi Ying Cheung, Mila Hiu Lam Pang
Reserve: Lok Yi Tsui, Ting Edith Chak, Kit Sze Wan, Tsz Ying YoYo Lau

Gai Wu Falcons 29-12 HKFC Ice

@ KG V, Kick-off: 18:00

Gai Wu Falcons: Ka Shun Lee, Hoi Lam Ho, Ka Wai Lam Debby, Sharon Shin Yuen Tsang, Yee Ching Chan, Po Kei Man, Hiu Ki Yip, Wai Yan Pun, Suet Ying Wong, Tsz Ting Lee, Kayan Chong, Wing See Chiu, Greer Muir, Kam Chi Chui, Abigail Chan
Reserve: Cherry Ng Ki Sum Ball, Hoi Ying Ku, Tammy Lau, Charmaine Da Costa, Ka Yin Wong, Lai Pui Shan, Wai Ying Li, Yuen Yan Man

HKFC Ice: Cheryl Gourley, Shonagh Ryan, Angelina Cheung, Claire Forster, Tsz Ying Tam, Sophie Short, Nina Pirie, Fion Got, Stephanie Heathcote, Corrineke Windle, Crystal Wray, Jaime Yuen Wing Ho, Rachel Fong, Maggie Wong, Rachel Crothers
Reserve: Denise Chan, Manlok Tang, Royce Chan, Claire Hunter, Kimberly Yuen Ki Wrixon, Sheung Yee Siu

Tai Po Dragons 22-12 Kowloon

@ Shek Kip Mei, Kick-off: 18:00

Tai Po Dragons: Hoi Yan Lo, Ka Hei Kwok, Wing Yi Vincci Leung, Wing Chi Tang, Ning Yan Ng, Wai Kwan Wan, Yin Ting Hui, Wan Man Liu, Wing Ying Wong, Hoi Yan Poon, Ching Wa Lo, Oyinlola Kim, Sau Yan Kwong, Kwan Yi Hau, Wai Ming Wong, Cho Yan Chan, Hiu Tung Chan, Tung Yan Chui, Wai Kwan ‘Kwan’ Li
Reserve: Ka Man Charline Shea, Shea Ka Wai Charlotte

Kowloon: Hiu Tung Chan, Yuk Wun Yip, Tsang Yan, Tam Ying, Tang Sin Chi Phyllis,  Yee To Cheng, Winnie Cheung, Jackie Leung, Ho Yee Mak, Chun Yan Ho, Tsz Ki Chiu, For Wing Florence Lee, Maggie Au Yeung, Wai Ling Chan, Chu Wing Yee
Reserve: Suet Lai Au , Wong Wing Gee Charlotte, Ching Hei Victoria Wong, Ching Yeung Sylvia Ho, Lok Sze Leung, Sze Wing Man, Wing Chi Amber Tsang

National League 1

HK Scottish Kukris 47-0 Tai Po Dragons
@ Kowloon Tsai, Kick-off: 15:00

Gai Wu Fawkes 72-0 HKCC
@ KG V, Kick-off: 15:00

Valley Red 20-0 USRC Tigers
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 18:00

National League 2

CWB Lammergeier 59-5 City Twinkles
@ HKIED, Kick-off: 16:00

Gai Wu Hawks 5-17 HKFC Fire
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 18:00

Tin Shui Wai 32-10 University
@ Tin Shui Wai, Kick-off: 18:00

Images: bc magazine

Tigers Look to End Valley Streak As Kowloon’s Good Form Continues

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

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 9 December, 2017