Tag: rugby

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 21 January, 2017

Match Report: CWB Phoenix 12-5 HKFC Ice @ So Kon Po – 14 January, 2017

Saturday saw a tough, hard fought Women’s Premiership match between HK Football Club Ice and SCAA Causeway Bay Phoenix at So Kon Po, Sarah Shuttleworth reports.

An early injury to Ice’s second row, Angelina Cheung, saw Zuzanna Osinska replace her and she proceeded to make her presence felt in the forward exchanges.

HKFC controlled the early possession in Causeway Bay’s half, causing pressure and displaying impressive scrum and line-out technique. Bobby Wilson made a clean break, after 15 minutes, but a resilient Phoenix defence refused to let Ice score.

Another drive from the HKFC forwards saw full back Jane Cheung sprint clear and run deep into Causeway Bay’s half. A strong try-saving tackle though saw her brought to ground within touching distance of the line.

Causeway Bay Phoenix made their first real scoring opportunity count, as a clean break by their wing Hau Sin Man secured the first try of the match. Hooker Chin Po Po made the conversion, 7-0 at the break.

Causeway Bay started off the second half confidently, looking threatening every time they had the ball. And the pressure paid off, as Hau Sin Man scored her second try extending Phoenix’s lead to 12-0.

Sophie Short came on at number 9 for HKFC, with Royce Chan moved into the front row to replace Denise Chan, and demonstrate some fast game play and exceptional tackles.

The new stringent interpretation of the tackle rules saw both sides have players yellow carded for high tackles.

Persistent foul play close to the line saw Ice awarded a penalty try early in the fourth quarter, a missed conversion left the score at 12-5 and all to play for.

With ten minutes to go, Ice looked dangerous in attack. A great piece of forward play saw Royce Chan drive for the line. Only for the Phoenix defence to hold her up, preventing her from touching down for the equalising score.

The last play of the game saw Ice with one final chance, a scrum 10m from the CWB line, However they couldn’t capitalise on the possession. Final score between two evenly matched teams, 12-5 to CWB Phoenix.

HKFC Ice:
Cheryl Gourley, Shonagh Ryan, Denise Chan, Claire Forster, Angelina Cheung, Claire Hunter, Nina Pirie, Bobby Wilson, Royce Chan, Helen Lee, Emma Shields, Jaime Ho, Jamie Bourk, Maggie Wong, Jane Cheung, Cynthia Luk, Zuzanna Osinska, Sophie Short, Paula Murcia, Rabbit Leung

Causeway Bay Pheonix:
Ho Pui Ki, Tsang Siu Ching, Chin Po Po, Chan Yan Yo, Hau Yan Tina Ho, Kong Yin Ting, Li Man Yi, Tsang Ching Man, Ka Lok Ng, Wong Sze Man, Lam Ka Wai, Kwok Yuk Lin, See Wai June Au, Sin Man Hau, Tsang Yuen Ying, Tze Yan Lam, Ka Ling Martini Ip, Tin Yan Dora Chim, Lau Sin Tung, Siu Man Nga

Women’s Rugby Results – 14 January, 2017

Premiership

City Sparkle 0-94 Gai Wu Falcons
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 16:30

USRC Tigers 61-10 Kowloon
@ Shek Kip Mei, Kick-off: 16:30

CWB Phoenix 12-5 HKFC Ice
@ So Kon Po, Kick-off: 18:00

National League 1

HKCC 5-10 Tai Po Dragons
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 16:30

Revolution SRC 19-12 Gai Wu Fawkes
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 18:00

USRC Tigers 48-0 HK Scottish
@ Shek Kip Mei, Kick-off: 18:00

National League 2

Gai Wu Hawks 24-10 HKFC Fire
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 15:00

Tai Po Dragons 0-10 Police Sirens
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 18:00

Tin Shui Wai 36-0 Uni-Pirates
@ Tin Shui Wai, Kick-off: 18:00

City 25-5 Kowloon
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 19:30

Photo: HKRugby

Women’s Premiership Round-up: Gai Wu Thrash City, CWB Beat HKFC and USRC Pound Kowloon

Living up to their promise to avenge last week’s pasting from Gai Wu, SCAA Causeway Bay Phoenix earned a hard fought 12-5 win over fourth-placed HKFC Ice.

The game mattered for both sides and the commitment showed. Through much of the first half, Football Club – missing a number of key players through injury and travel – struggled to gain and keep possession. Good movement from an energised Causeway Bay backline paid off midway through when quick hands out of the ruck fed the ball through to right wing Hau Sin Man who showed sustained speed to score. A solid conversion from hooker Chin Po Po put the home team in control.

Late in the half, Football Club rallied somewhat but couldn’t convert the possession to points, and the 7-0 scoreline stood at the break.

Both sides restarted well but the energy and accuracy of the CWB kept the pressure on Football Club. With around three-quarters of the game played, another win from the ruck brought the result within reach. The ball was quickly distributed through the backs via a deft switch back to the blindside. Another strong run from Hau Sin Man finished the move and saw Phoenix’s into a 12-0 lead.

HKFC looked to respond and the final 15 minutes was easily their strongest period of the game. On the 70 minute mark Ice’s no.8 Mei Nam Chow broke through the line and looked set to score, but an infraction earned her side a penalty try instead, which wasn’t converted, 12-5.

Football Club continued to press, but Phoenix’s defence held firm and the hard-fought game ended with smiles on Causeway Bay faces.

Coach Ocean Chow had no doubt the victory was well earned. “We executed our plan on defence, and built on that. Our scrum was strong today, earning us several turnovers. We have been working on our tackling, and today made a lot of good tackles, keeping low. We played our own style: quick ball and quick out of the ruck without overcommitting.”

Chow credited the win to his players attitude, saying, “they are fit and believe in themselves. They really wanted to win this one, after our record of going close against Football Club.”

HKFC’s long-serving national team forward Royce Chan Leong Sze said, “Causeway Bay were catching us with fast breaks, putting on pressure [that led to points]. We simply didn’t have enough possession to win the game.”

The loss changes the complexion of the rest of the season for Football Club, as their third-place/fourth-place tussle with USRC Tigers, against the two strongest sides in the Premiership, runs the risk of being replaced by a battle to hold on to fourth against a resurgent CWB.

Chan observed, “It’s going to be challenging going into the last four games, up against the top teams, and with us having to cope with a number of injuries. This game gave us notice that we must toughen up and move on.”

The USRC Tigers solidified their hold on third place in the table, ahead of HKFC, pounding Kowloon 61-10.

Kowloon coach Jonathan Ho was nevertheless pleased with his side’s defensive line speed, which he said caused Tigers problems, and led to their two second-half tries.

In the other Women’s Premiership game, Gai Wu Falcons topped last week’s high-scoring win with a rampaging 94-0 victory over bottom club City Sparkle, scoring eight tries in the first half alone and fulfilling coach Lai Yiu Pang’s directive to his players to keep focused on making the most of every opportunity.

Full women’s rugby results here

Additional reporting and photo: HKRugby

Women’s Rugby Fixtures – 14 January, 2017

Women’s Rugby Results – 7 January, 2017

Women’s Premiership

Kowloon 0-44 Valley Black
@ Happy Valley

HKFC Ice 29-8 City Sparkle
@ HK Football Club

Gai Wu Falons 79-5 CWB Phoenix
@ KGV

National League 1

Gai Wu Fawkes 43-17 HKCC
@ KGV

Tai Po Dragons 0-0 Revolution SRC
@King’s Park

HK Scottish 7-29 Valley Red
@ Tai Hung Tang

Photo: Phoebe Leung

Hong Kong v Japan World Cup Qualifier @ HK Football Club – 17 December, 2016

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hong-Kong-v-Japan-World-Cup/i-vb2Zfcr

What an 8 days!!
Today’s match ended in defeat to Japan 20-8, but barring the first 8 minutes Hong Kong held their own against a talented Japanese side. A significant improvement on the Asian Championships when HK were soundly beaten in both games.

In truth this was a good game to lose, amidst the two World Cup pools there looks to be one winnable game for either Japan or Hong Kong and that is Wales – and they’re in Pool C with Canada, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

A lot of work to do between now August 2017, hopefully the HK Rugby Union will properly fund the players and their training! This is a magnificent achievement. Congratulations to the whole squad and the coaches!!!
Click on any photo for the full gallery.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hong-Kong-v-Japan-World-Cup/i-6xKWpxr

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hong-Kong-v-Japan-World-Cup/i-vtGRCxm

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hong-Kong-v-Japan-World-Cup/i-4TH83hC

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hong-Kong-v-Japan-World-Cup/i-sw9H4Qx

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hong-Kong-v-Japan-World-Cup/i-crcWg8j

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hong-Kong-v-Japan-World-Cup/i-D9ZQJ9P