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HKCC Babes 24-12 Revolution Ladies – 11 October, 2014

Coach Darren Cartlidge put last week’s disappointing loss against HK Scottish to good effect with the Leighton Asia HKCC Babes as they took on Revolution Ladies at King George V field this week, firing up his team who took to the field inspired and ran in two tries in the first ten minutes. Player of the game Emily Tuck snagged the first, followed by a delightful jinxing run from Lucy Thompson playing out of position at number 12 who broke through two lines of defence to get her debut try after a great inside pass.

Revolution proved they weren’t there just to make up the numbers, and hit back almost immediately, whipping the ball out to the left wing and punching through the HKCC defence from 30 yards out. It was shaping up to be a real end-to-end running game, using every inch of the fantastic new pitch installed earlier this year at KGV. Revolution sought to capitalise on the strategy that brought their first try –moving the ball out wide and making ground on the wings, but the Babes were resolute in defence, with some spectacular tackling in particular from the diminutive Christy Ma, on the left wing, and flanker Tam Suet Yee.

In possession, Babes made good use of their physical domination, gaining ground at the breakdown, with scrum half Lynda Nazer having her best game in a white shirt to date marshalling the forwards. Before half time, this approach reaped results, a driving maul at lineout, recycled through two phases of forward play, resulting in a second try for Tuck who, playing at number 8, seemed to be everywhere at once. Fly half Julia Mason added the extra 2 points.

In the second half, the tough physical side started to take its toll, as Captain Anna Holmes joined Tam Suet Yee injured on the sidelines (fingers crossed on speedy recoveries for both), but the Babes were able to call on strong reserves from the bench and some positional shuffling, with Joanie Yip moving into the front row and Wendy Sham taking a position on the flank. Revolution couldn’t keep up with the power of the Babes pack, and the referee moved to uncontested scrums. This shifted the balance of the game slightly, resulting in a second try from Revolution, who used positional kicking to smart effect in working up the field.

At 3 tries to 2, the game was set for a nervy final few minutes – especially as the referee curtailed the second half to only 20 minutes to compensate for delays in earlier fixtures. Supporters of both teams were increasingly vocal from the sidelines. But the Babes kept their composure, and from a tap and go penalty 15 yards out the backs made a series of smartly timed passes out to find the overlap for winger Rosie Hui, who dived over the line to score her first try of the season. It was, according to Anna Holmes, the game in a nutshell, “We’ve been working hard at ironing out the small mistakes – using set plays wisely, taking the time to build phases of play and concentrating on getting the ball securely to hands, at pace”. Julia Mason expertly converted from out on the left with the final touch of the game to cap a well-deserved 24-12win.

Next Saturday, HKCC Babes take on Comvita City Ladies, 16:30 @ So Kon Po

HKCC Babes
Eva Rona, Cheryl Gourley, Anna Holmes, Rhonda Wildeman, Sarah Higgins, Suet Yee (Mon) Tam, Zoe Wong, Emily Tuck, Lynda Nazer, Julia Mason, Christy Ma, Lucy Thomson, Tinley Wong, Serene Yee, Apple Ng.
Substitutes: Joanna Harvey, Lainie Man, Wendy Sham, Katie Rowbottom, Joe Yip, Joan Yip, Rosanne Hui
Tries: Emily Tuck (2), Lucy Thomson, Rosie Hui

Women’s Rugby Results – 11 October, 2014

Women’s Premiership

Taipo Dragon 0-5 Kowloon Ladies
@ Tin Shui Wai Community Sports Ground Kick-off 18:00

SCAA CWB Phoenix 17-24 Walsh USRC Tigers
@ So Kon Po Kick-off 18:00

Valley Black 14-7 Gai Wu
@ Happy Valley Kick-off 18:00

Women’s National league 1

City Sparkles 5-5 SCAA CWB Phoenix
@ KGV Kick-off 16:30

HK Scottish Kukris 29-27 HKFC Ice
@ Shek Kip Mei Kick-off 18:00
HKFC Ice: Lucy Burton, Amy Kong, Eleanor Nixson, Georgina Matthews, Anne McManus, Zuzanna Osinska, Caroline Lau, Royce Chan, Helen Lee, Aileen Ryan, Emma Leeds, Aysha Fiaz, Madeline Adcock, Clemence Saunier, Nicole Pang
Substitutes: Fiona Atkinson, Katie Lilley, Leah Leung, Go Fish Tam, (TSW), Ding Ding Wong (TSW)

HKCC 24-12 SRC Ladies
@ KGV Kick-off 18:00
match report
HKCC Babes: Eva Rona, Cheryl Gourley, Anna Holmes, Rhonda Wildeman, Sarah Higgins, Suet Yee (Mon) Tam, Zoe Wong, Emily Tuck, Lynda Nazer, Julia Mason, Christy Ma, Lucy Thomson, Tinley Wong, Serene Yee, Apple Ng.
Substitutes: Joanna Harvey, Lainie Man, Wendy Sham, Katie Rowbottom, Joe Yip, Joan Yip, Rosanne Hui
Tries: Emily Tuck (2), Lucy Thomson, Rosie H

Women’s National 10s

Kowloon Ladies X 0-62 USRC Tigers X
@ KGV Kick-off 16:30

TSW Ladies 32-0 DB Pirates Ladies
@ So Kon Po Kick-off 18:00

Women’s National 10s: University Unicorns 12-27 HKFC @ Kings Park – 4 October, 2014

The highly anticipated first game of the season lived up to expectations for the Unicorns, the majority of who also were experiencing their first ever competitive game of rugby. The game started at a frantic pace with HKFC taking an early lead due to a few ineffective Unicorn tackles. The Unicorns charged back though, with a try from Antje Cosgrove and some good breaks of the HKFC defence. The opposition picked their game up and with some strong evasive running regained the lead. A nice solo try from newbie Karen Chiu gave a little hope but the day wasn’t to end in a opening day win for the Unicorn herd. Nevertheless, a good contest and a good natured game giving an encouraging start to the season, and, with a little more game experience, the unicorns will be a force to be reckoned with!

University Unicorns
Lilly Tse, Kon Chan, Rachel Yoo, Vicky Chu, Christina Tang, Grace Fung, Antje Cosgrove, Dawn Lui, Karen Chiu, Amanda Zhang
Substitutes: Jean Kueh , Coco Mak, Christy Wang
Tries: Antje Cosgrove, Karen Chiu

New Look Women’s League Structure

The 2014-15 domestic rugby season kicked-off last weekend, with a record number of 81 men’s and women’s teams, a leap of 7 teams from the previous year and continuing the steady annual increase in participation over the past decade.

A significant factor in this success story is the growing popularity of women’s rugby, and this is reflected in this year’s revamped league structure which sees 22 teams split into a Premiership of 6 sides, a National League 1 of 8 sides, and a National 10s League of 8 sides.

This closely mirrors the men’s league framework, and gives an easier pathway for both newcomers to the game and also those transitioning from girls youth rugby through to the senior ranks, and all the way up to our full time Sevens squad athletes at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

“This has been an exciting period for women’s rugby,” explains the Union’s Women’s Rugby Officer Cookie Tse, “and we are confident that the new league together with a revised set of competition rules will provide the basis for a very competitive and enjoyable season at all levels. In the past few months we’ve had some great results with a women’s section in the New Territories District 7s Tournament for the first time, a win in the first leg of the Asian Sevens Series, and a strong 4th place in the Asian Games, so we’re in a really good place as we commence the new season.”

The women’s leagues will run through to Christmas and then resume in the new year and climax with a combined Grand Championship Finals Day at King’s Park on Saturday 7th March; Gai Wu Ladies (pictured above) are the defending champions of both the 15s and 10s titles, and will be determined to get their name on the very first Women’s Premiership Trophy!

Keep up todate with fixtures, results and match reports here on bcmagazine.net

Women’s Rugby Results – 4 October, 2014

Women’s Premiership

Taipo Dragon 0-48 Gai Wu
@ Shek Kip Mei Kick-off 16:30

USRC Tigers 31-10 Kowloon
@ KGV Kick-off 18:00

Valley Black 27-0 SCAA CWB Phoenix
@ Shek Kip Mei Kick-off 18:00

Women’s National league 1

SCAA CWB Phoenix 24-10 Valley Red
@ Shek Kip Mei Kick-off 15:00

HKFC Ice 43-7 Revolution SRC
@ HKFC Kick-off 18:00

HK Scottish 12-5 HKCC
@ King’s Park Kick-off 18:00
Match report
HKCC : Eva Rona, Cheryl Gourley, Anna Holmes, Sarah Higgins, Carolyn Champion, Wawa Li, Zoe Wong, Emily Tuck, Lynda Nazer, Julia Mason, Serene Yee, Harriet Jamieson, Tinley Wong, Steph Zhang, Wendy Sham.
Substitutes: Joanna Harvey, Lainie Man, Suet Yee Tam, Zoe Wong, Brenda Chan
Tries: Steph Zhang

Women’s National 10s

HKFC Fire 27-12 University
@ King’s Park Kick-off 14:00
Match report
University Unicorns: Lilly Tse, Kon Chan, Rachel Yoo, Vicky Chu, Christina Tang, Grace Fung, Antje Cosgrove, Dawn Lui, Karen Chiu, Amanda Zhang
Substitutes: Jean Kueh , Coco Mak, Christy Wang
Tries: Antje Cosgrove, Karen Chiu

Gai Wu 19-25 Taipo Dragon
@ Shek Kip Mei Kick-off 14:00

Kowloon 0-62 USRC Tigers
@ KGV Kick-off 18:00

TSW 32-0 DB Pirates
@ So Kon Po Kick-off 18:00

HKCC Babes 5-12 HK Scottish – 4 October, 2014

After the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the Duke of Wellington said that the only sight sadder than a battle won, is a battle lost. With all due respect to the Duke, he missed something. The only thing sadder than a battle lost, is a battle that is lost when you’re sat on the sidelines, unable and incapable of influencing the outcome. This is how your correspondent spent the last thirty minutes of the Leighton Asia HKCC Babes encounter with HK Scottish on Sunday, shouting impotently from the touchline as time slipped away from the HKCC Babes.

Sporting battles, in fairness, have little ultimately at stake, but the passions on the pitch speak to the opposite. HK Scottish knew from early on that they were pinned down against a pack that was superior in every sense – rucking, scrummaging, making the hard yards; but they had strong kicking ability to draw on, exploiting a fairly common weakness in Ladies rugby that is pressure under the high ball. Scottish also resisted the forwards’ pressure well: two early Babes tries, products of team efforts and massive adrenaline, were cancelled out for for double movement and referee unsighted. So despite the run of play, after thirty minutes there were zero points on the Board.

A fourth failure to retreat ten at a penalty saw the Babes incur a costly yellow before the half was out, matched with a second in the closing stages of play. When it seems like the deck is stacked against you, players come out tougher and more resolute than ever, but the tide was against the Babes here, and the referee awarded a Scottish try either side of the half. There could be no disputing the second, a brilliant play off a penalty by the Scottish scrum half, surely their player of the game, but the first was more contentious – both a possible knock on and some offside play at the ruck being pointed out vocally from the watching supporters.

At this point, the author becomes a mere bystander – watching (injured) from the sidelines. In the second half, Babes soon adopted the Scottish tactics, and an excellent grubber kick and chase from Babes’ player of the game Harriet Jamieson set up the perfect ruck in the left corner for wing Steph Zhang to dive over for her first 15s try. The chase was on, a clear goal in sight, 12-5, as HK Scottish themselves changed tactics, avoiding the kick and clinging to possession, timing out the uprising.

As the minutes ticked away, and the referee allowed interminable scrummaging resets, the desire of HKCC became yet more positive, and even more apparent. Each player stepped up, demanding the ball, demanding the opportunity to be heard. With HKCC Babes spirit still holding up high, a forth try was made but unfortunately disallowed by the referee for double movement. And as the sun slipped away behind the skyscrapers and night descended on Kowloon, it became clearer that no matter what the outcome, it was worth stepping up to the fight; that the only thing worse, was sitting it out.

HKCC Babes
Eva Rona, Cheryl Gourley, Anna Holmes, Sarah Higgins, Carolyn Champion, Wawa Li,
Zoe Wong, Emily Tuck, Lynda Nazer, Julia Mason, Serene Yee, Harriet Jamieson, Tinley Wong, Steph Zhang, Wendy Sham.
Substitutes: Joanna Harvey, Lainie Man, Suet Yee Tam, Zoe Wong, Brenda Chan
Tries: Steph Zhang

Asian Games 2014 – Women’s Rugby 7s

The women’s Asian Games rugby 7s final was an enthralling affair as China held off a late surge from Japan to win 14-12 and claim the Gold medal that eluded them at home in 2010. In Japanese sub Yoko Suzuki scored a try right at the death but it was overturned by the referee for a forward pass and Japan had to settle for the silver, their first medal in Asian Games women’s rugby competition.

Kazakhstan won the bronze medal defeating Hong Kong 12-0, who had beaten them in the group stages. “We turned over too much ball and you can’t win a game unless you have possession,” said a disappointed Rose Fong, one of the stalwarts of the Hong Kong side.

China had earlier run in four tries past Kazakhstan to book their finals berth with a 24-12 victory while Japan warded off a spirited Hong Kong side winning the other semi-final 17-10 after leading 7-0 at the break.

Thailand hammered Singapore 38-7 to take fifth place in the women’s competition, with Uzbekistan edging Malaysia 12-5 to claim the seventh spot overall. Hosts South Korea beat Laos 34-0 to take ninth in the ten team women’s competition.

For full results of the 2014 Asian Games Rugby Sevens competition visit www.incheon2014ag.org

Additional reporting HKRFU, Photo: Power Sport Images for HKRFU

Asian Games: Rugby 7s – Japan edge Hong Kong for Gold

Japan won the men’s gold medal at the Asian Games rugby sevens competition defeating arch-rivals Hong Kong 24-12 in a gripping final on Thursday.

It was the second successive time the two rivals had met in the Asian Games final and the result was the same with Japan running out victors although Hong Kong pushed them to the limit once again.

“This win means a lot to us. Only one team from Asia will be going to the Rio Olympics, and we have put down a marker,” said Japan’s 15s captain Michael Leitch who was called up for duty to retain the sevens title.

Hong Kong entered the Asian Games having won both opening legs at the ARFU Asian Sevens Series but couldn’t quite find the winning formula against a Japanese outfit beefed up with Top League players including Leitch who scored one of the four tries for Japan in the final.

Hong Kong veteran Rowan Varty had given first blood to his team when he cut through the defence to score the first try of the match after both teams had spent the first five minutes going hammer and tongs at each other.

Japan equalized through Leitch who bulldozed his way over from close range, but he was sin-binned seconds later for a dangerous tackle. Hong Kong failed to take advantage, however, as a superb Japanese defence kept them out.

With the hooter having gone for halftime, Hong Kong opted to keep the ball alive with a quick tap and they paid for it when the ball was turned over and Japan punted it downfield.

In the chase for the ball, Hong Kong winger Tom McQueen was penalized for obstruction and a penalty try was awarded to Japan.

Hong Kong came back after the break when sub Salom Yiu Kam-shing scored soon after coming on but tries from Lomano Lemeki and Kazushi Hano saw Japan finish strongly.

“A silver medal is a great achievement but it is still a disappointment as we had come here to win the gold,” said Hong Kong skipper Jamie Hood.

Hong Kong had to fight hard to enter the final needing to get past South Korea in the semi-finals and winning a closely fought contest 15-7.

Korea led 7-5 at the break with a try from winger Jeong Yeon-sik cancelling out Hong Kong’s opening try of the match, which came in the fifth minute by winger Varty who rounded his opposite number to score.

But with the skies opening up over the impressive Namdong rugby stadium, the orders were clear from Hong Kong coach Gareth Baber – keep play inside the opponent’s 22 – and Hong Kong carried it out perfectly as they encamped inside Korean territory and kept play tight. The pressure paid dividends with tries to Tom McQueen and skipper Jamie Hood.

Japan had it easier in the other semi-final as they breezed to a 40-0 win over Sri Lanka with star player Lomano Lemeki grabbing a hat-trick.

Once winger Kazushi Hano had touched down for the first try, it seemed Sri Lanka had set their minds on the bronze medal match as Japan had it all their own way running in five more tries to book their berth in the final.

South Korea went on to win the bronze medal defeating a spirited Sri Lanka 17-14 in a tense game.

Additional reporting HKRFU, photo: Power Sport Images for HKRFU