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Match Report: USRC Tigers 17-5 HKFC Ice

It was a thrilling match over at King’s Park between premiership veterans, and last season’s third place finishers, USRC Tigers and confident newcomers Hong Kong Football Club Ice. Slippery wet conditions resulted in a few missed tackles leading to an early try putting the Tigers ahead 5-0. However it did not foreshadow the rest of the match. Ice immediately regrouped and worked their way up the pitch with some well-placed kicks and strong ball-in-hand running, they found themselves within their opposition’s 5m line. Accurate handling and control while using the width of the pitch stretched the Tigers’ defence and they could not catch speedster Sarah McMillan, who touched down near the side-line. The adverse weather led to both sides turning over the ball repeatedly; mostly in rucks, with neither side retaining the ball long enough to score. The whistle blew for half time: a 5-5 deadlock.

The second half saw an intense and hard-fought battle between two strong-willed sides, each clawing at every opportunity for the ball. Ice dominated the scrums and hard running while Tigers showed their experience through tactical play. Some big hits from both sides and too many players trying to do too much in less than ideal weather resulted in knock on after knock on and it was definitely a clash of the forwards at set piece and contact areas throughout play. The Tigers managed a break through the middle, some neat passing and timely offloads put the Ice defensive line under pressure, which finally yielded as USRC touched down just outside of the posts. With 15 minutes to go and the conversion missed, it was 10-5 to Tigers.

The last 15 minutes of the match proved to be the most exciting with Ice’s team rallying together to fight for every inch and worked their way towards the Tiger’s try line several times. However some questionable turnovers allowed the Tigers to claw their way back upfield forcing Ice to start again. Support for Ice was at an all time high, recognising what a game they were watching to show premiership teams they were not to be underestimated. Another fantastic solo break by Sarah McMillan through the middle of the Tigers’ defence almost saw a retaliatory try to tie the teams, however she was just caught by the back of the shorts and dragged down just short of the line. With 5 minutes to go, the Tigers scored under the posts with some fluid play first going blindside, then down the middle, to seal the match. However, Ice did not give up and came close to scoring again, but were punished for penalties in the breakdown. 17-5 and it’s full time at King’s Park with the Tigers earning a hard-fought win over Ice hopefully highlighting some future upsets for the Premiership’s usual suspects.

Woman’s Premiership: USRC Tigers 17-5 HKFC Ice
@King’s Park, Kick-off 18:00
HKFC Ice: Denise Chan, Shonagh Ryan, Megan Richardson, Zuzanna Osinska, Martina Colombo, Jamie Bourk, Bobby Wilson, Daisy Miers, Sophie Short, Aileen Ryan, Stephanie Siu, Jane Cheung, Grace Hood, Casey Gallagher, Sarah McMillan
Substitutes: Kim Kan, Amy Kong, Aysha Fiaz, Carol Hung, Iris Chan, Audrey Lo, Rabbit Leung
Try: Sarah McMillan

Women’s Rugby Fixtures: 10 October, 2015

Match Report: HKFC Ice 20-7 Kowloon

In a first for women’s rugby in Hong Kong, the Premiership kicked off at King’s Park at the same time as the men’s. Linda Olson was there as six of the seven Women’s Premiership teams played their first matches of the 2015-2016 season under the clouds and rain of Typhoon Mujigae and a T3 signal – with stalwart supporters and tenacious photographers braving the elements to support them on King’s Park pitch 2.

More was at stake than in previous seasons, with HKRU Women’s Development Manager, Samantha Scott Feausi announcing shortly before Super Saturday that, “A new Super Series will feature our top 66 players from the domestic league. These players will be split into three Barbarian sides which will play against each other, effectively adding a component of representative rugby apart from the domestic league and just below the national setup. The goal is to better prepare and help transition players to full representative rugby.”

Premiership newcomers HKFC Ice proved they are worthy of their place in the top women’s league with a convincing 20-7 win over Kowloon Ladies. As Injured Captain Royce Chan looked on from the sidelines, young Captain Aileen Ryan led her team to a convincing victory over 2014’s sixth place team.

With winds gusting at 40-70km and heavy rain, Ice’s first try was scored within seconds of kick-off by number 8 Bobby Wilson, a second from Sarah McMillan quickly followed for a commanding early lead as Ice took control. A second try in the corner for Bobby Wilson before half time saw the premiership newcomers head into the break comfortably ahead 15-0.

At start of the second half, Kowloon, demonstrating an admirable never-give-up mentality, began the half with renewed energy, gaining ground despite good tackling by HKFC. Their momentum was stopped by a penalty and a couple of minutes later, Sarah McMillan capitalized on some excellent teamwork to take the ball across the line for Ice’s fourth try.,

Kowloon continued to play with Lily Chau Hei Tung scoring the best try of the match under the posts after some excellent teamwork and some fancy footwork.Cindy Yuen Lok Yee kicked the first conversion of the match for what turned out to be Kowloon’s consolation score.

Additional match report from Stephanie Wright

HKFC Ice made an impressive premiership debut against Kowloon on Saturday, looking stronger and fitter than ever. Despite the typhoon winds and lashing rain, HKFC Ice got off to a strong start with their new number 8 (Bobby Wilson) scoring a try in the first minute. In defiance of the numerous penalties called against them, HKFC Ice dominated the first half with two additional tries from Bobby and winger Sarah McMillan.

Half time and the rain had eased off. Kowloon kicked off the second half and started to show HKFC Ice what they are made of. Whether it was the improved conditions or a stern half time talk, they were back in the game. Sarah scored her second try of the game demonstrating exactly why Ice deserve their promotion. A strong defence from Ice and some great tackles by numbers 9, (Sophie Short) and 13 (Grace Hood) weren’t enough to stop Kowloon score and kick the only successful conversion of the game. It was a tough game in tough weather but HKFC Ice are off to a great start in the Premiership.

HKFC Ice 20-7 Kowloon
@ King’s Park, kick-off 14:30

HKFC Ice: Shonagh Ryan, Amy Kong, Megan Richardson, Martina Colombo, Claire Forster, Aysha Fiaz, Zuzanna Osinska, Bobby Wilson, Sam Tarrant, Aileen Ryan, Sarah McMillan, Jane Cheung, Grace Hood, Stephanie Siu, Emma Shields.
Substitutes: Denise Chan, Carol Hung, Madeline Adcock, Apple Lau, Sophie Short, Natalia Lech, Rabbit Leung.
Tries: Bobby Wilson (2), Sarah McMillan (2)

Kowloon: Tin Lai Lai, Yip Yuk Wun, Yip Cho Kwan, Lee Hoi Shan, Kwok Hei Woon, Au Yeung Yuen Ching, Lau Yan Yi, Leung Hei Nga, Chu Wing Yee Windy, Mak Ho Yee, Chiu Tsz Ki, Tsang Wing Chi, Mui Yan Long, Leung Lok Sze, Fung Wai Man Rita.
Substitutes: Wong I Kwan Elise, Iu Tsz Yan, Lau Ki Yan, Yuen Lok Yee, Lee For Wing Florence, Cham Wai Ling, Chau Hei Tung
Try: Lily Chau Hei Tung Conversion: Cindy Yuen Lok Yee

Updated 7 October with team lists and try scorers and Jena Saffery match report
Photo: Takumi Photography

Match Report: Valley Black 17-0 USRC

Typhoon 3 was not enough to stop the reigning champions from starting off the league with a solid win against the USRC Tigers. After many phases deep in the Tigers half, Bella put first points on the board from a penalty kick 40m from the posts. Then, in open phase play, Bella spotted a gap and dotted through to score under the posts. She nailed the conversion to extend the lead to 10-0 at half time.

The second half saw a superb team try initiated by a turnover from Rocky at the halfway mark. The black ladies demonstrated great skill and teamwork to put it through the hands for Jen Mackay to finish on the other side. Well done to new first team caps Jazz, Rebecca and Jess who had a great run. Congrats to MVPs Sarka, for being relentless and Rocky for three try-saving tackles under pressure.

Decent hit out for first game of the season. Valley Black have bye this week.

Match Reports: HK Scottish

Fielding two teams this season, the Hong Kong Scottish Kukris playing XVs in Women’s NL1 and the Hong Kong Scottish Sekongers playing 10s, both started the season with simultaneous 4:30 kick offs at the Police Club (Kukris v Police) and Tai Hang Tung (Sekongers v Revolution). The Kukris found themselves battling a vastly improved Police team, compared with last season, and with many of the new recruits more familiar with 10s, made little headway against a determined Police defence. At halftime, the Kukris were down 7/0. But with the weather deteriorating to a decidedly Scottish level, the Kukris’s fortunes changed. Sustain pressure brought results, with two corner tries from Yuen Ting and Ellie Ngan Kee. The conversions were unsuccessful, but in spite of a valiant fightback from the Police, Kukris held on start the season with a win.

Over at Tai Hang Tung, Revolution were making the most of their numerous reserves, but did not have it all their own way, with the Sekongers frustrating their attacks and dominating the scrum. As the weather deteriorated, running became more difficult, with the Sekongers positively enjoying the conditions. Tries from Hau Yi, Crystal and Suzi, two of which Suzi converted, allowed the Sekongers to score 19 points, and leave the field in buoyant mood, even though we lost (although we’re not sure of the final score as the referee’s notes were just soggy mush).

All in all a positive start the season.

Police 7-10 Scottish Kukris
@ Police Boundary Street, kick-off: 16:30

HK Scottish Sekongers 19-? Revolution
@Tai Hang Tung, kick-off: 16:30

Match Report: HKCC 29-0 HKFC Fire

After a long, sweaty and tiring pre-season the start of the 2015/16 season has finally arrived. Head coach Alex Tarleton reports on HKCC season debut against HK Football Club Fire.

Match day started off in typical HKCC fashion with traumatic moments even before the season’s first whistle was blown – wrong buses, bus’s breaking down, replacements bus, no pitch booked and some tears (and that was just the coaches…). Finally a full squad of 23 arrived at KGV to warm-up, with time to spare.

With a T3 hoisted as Typhoon Mujigae brought wind and rain, nervous anticipation had the ladies fidgeting and keen to get the match and the season underway!

In the opening few minutes those nerves were very apparent, with HKCC resembling a herd of sheep following the ball around the field. However, a turnover saw summer signing Ashley Brooks make a quick break against the run of play to score a great solo effort from 30 yards out.

The opening score saw the ladies relax, become more settled and started to play the patterns we had been building on in pre season. Our shape was looking very good, our defence unbreakable and our scrum a great attacking platform.

Lynda Nazer having converted from a scrum half to a bustling back rower over the summer added two excellently worked tries, showing great determination to push over for an excellent brace.

The T3 was causing carnage at KGV with plastic bags and bottles invading the pitch, the rain hammering it down, but we went in 15-0 at the break.

The second half began a lot more tighter with HKFC regrouping and playing with a lot more ‘Fire’ as they tried to get back in the game. Both teams knew the next score was vitally important and CC withstood a lot of pressure from their rejuvenated opponents.

With the HKCC defence being pummeled, the ladies showed great character to withstand the pressure and keep FC from registering their first points of the season. Another turnover in the opposition half saw Ashley Brooks score again with Emma Chung adding the conversion to push the score out to 22-0, hopefully sealing the game with the bonus point.

We coaches were frantically signaling to keep up the hard work in defence as the Fire fly-half restarted the game, only for Tinley Wong to break through their defence straight from the kick off for a fifth try with Emma adding the conversion from in-front of the posts.

An excellent afternoon of rugby in testing conditions saw HKCC emerge with a 29-0 opening day bonus point win over HKFC Fire.

Celebrations then began on the side of the pitch and into the night….

Women of the match had to be both Brace Try scorers – Lynda Nazer and Ashley Brooks.

Women’s National League 1: HKCC 29-0 HKFC Fire
@KGV Kick-off: 16:30
HKCC: Kassie Chapel, Joan Yip, Jo Harvey, Katie Rowbottom, Lauren Petersen, Wendy, Lainie Man, Lynda Nazer, Ashley Brooks, Tinley Wong, Yana Dimitrova, Lucy Thomson, Tissia Polycarpe, Diana Li, Stephaine Zhang
Substitutes: Charlotte Berry, Mhairi McCloughlin, Carolyn Champion, Zoe Wong, Emma Chung, Wawa Li, Hoi Yi Li, Nobuko Oda
Tries: Lynda Nazer (2), Ashley Brooks (2), Tinley Wong. Conversions: Emma Chung (2)

Women’s Rugby Season 15/16 Preview

Women’s Premiership captains: Chan Long Sze Royce, Chloe Mak, Nam Ka Man, Jen Mackay, Jay Ho, Dora Kwok, Mok Ting Yan.

The women’s league structure, which was comprehensively overhauled for the 2014-15 season, sees further tweaks for the 15/16 season as the overall number of teams competing increases from 22-25 across three leagues. Despite the HKRU’s indifference to women’s rugby, it’s been the fastest growing area of the sport locally for several years and with Hong Kong’s women 7s winning in Qingdao recently there’s a lot of excitement ahead of the new season, which starts on 3 October.

The Premiership has grown from six to seven teams with HK Football Club Ice moving up to the top rung of local women’s rugby. The other participating Premiership teams are defending champions Valley Black, Gai Wu, USRC Tigers, Kowloon, SCAA Causeway Bay and Tai Po Dragons. Women’s Rugby Performance Manager Jo Hull and Women’s Rugby Development Manager Sam Feausi are looking to increase that to eight in the 2016/17 season.

One step below Premiership level, the National 15s League has grown by three teams to 11 with HK Scottish, SCAA Causeway Bay 3rds and Revolution joining the competition this season. The National 10s League will feature six teams and continues its role as a bridge for new and younger players looking to integrate into 15-aside competition.

The main change to this season’s competition is the introduction of a new internal representative competition: the Women’s Rugby Super Series – designed to bridge the gap between domestic rugby and the national XVs set-up.

“The Super Series will feature our top 66 players from the domestic league. These players will be split into three Barbarian sides which will play against each other, effectively adding a component of representative rugby apart from the domestic league and just below the national setup. The goal is to better prepare and help transition players to full representative rugby,” said Sam Feausi.

Feausi added that, “The Super Series will give coaches and selectors an opportunity to look at our best players and test combinations with an eye on the coming international season. The teams will primarily be drawn from the Premiership with selectors identifying any players from other competitions that we believe have what it takes to represent the National Team. The Super Series will give more opportunities to the best players in the Premiership to play at an even higher level.”

“We are focused on introducing more of a performance aspect into our women’s club system this season. The Premiership is the pinnacle of Women’s rugby and we want it to be geared towards high performance, as we are ultimately targeting qualification for Women’s Rugby World Cup in future.” said Jo Hull.

The three leagues promise to serve up some incredible rugby with defending champions Valley Black and perennial contenders Gai Wu shaping up as the favourites once again in the Premiership race. Gai Wu have 11 players involved with the national sevens team, Valley Black have nine. SCAA Causeway Bay is the only club to field a team in all three of the senior woman’s competitions.

“This is set to be the biggest club woman’s competition we have ever had in Hong Kong,” said Feausi. “With 25 teams across three highly competitive leagues it will be interesting to see who will be pushing hard for a place in the Premiership and spots in the Super Series teams. On the other end of the scale, we will be monitoring how successful clubs are at introducing beginners and less experienced players to rugby and transitioning them from National 10s to higher levels of competition.”

The Women’s Premiership will kick off on 3 October as part of the HKRU Super Saturday league launch at Kings Park. The National 15’s and Women’s 10s also kick-off this weekend and you can find the complete fixture list here.

Source HKRU, image courtesy of HKRU

Tag: Wrugby