HONG KONG—After round 2 of the Hong Kong Men’s Rugby Premiership, Societe Generale Valley remain the only undefeated team of the six in the league. They won a hard-fought match against Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers, 26-15, last Saturday at Happy Valley.
Valley dominated the first 30 minutes. They controlled possession and territory, and gradually forced their way forward, metre by metre, only for the final pass to go astray. A lot of effort for little return, except for 2 penalties from flyhalf Matt Rosslee giving Valley a 6-0 lead. Rosslee had also missed two kickable efforts. The margin did not reflect Valleys dominance.
At 34 minutes, with the first line-break of the game, Valley number 8, Karetai Williams, created space for hooker Dayne Jans to score in the right-hand corner. The try was converted by Rosslee; Valley breathed more easily, leading 3-0, towards halftime.
Tigers immediately bounced back. Having spent most of the first-half resolutely defending their line found themselves in the Valley 22 for the first time in the match. Tigers aggressively pressed the Valley line, and quick possession allowed centre Tyler Spitz to break the Valley defense and score under the posts. The try was converted by flyhalf Sam Ellis. The half time score was 13-7. In less than 2 minutes the game had changed: the Valley sense of comfort evaporated and Tigers smelt blood.
The second-half continued where the first left-off, with Tigers pressuring Valley, and winning an early penalty, converted by Ellis to reduce the deficit to 13-10. Rosslee responded, 5 minutes later to restore the margin to 16-10. At this point the Valley substitutes came on, and before they settled, Tigers turned defense into attack with the best move of the game: a breakaway try from their own 22, with backs and forwards linking before scrumhalf Cado Lee finished the move in a flourish in the far left corner. The conversion was missed, but the try put the game in the balance, 16-15 with 20 minutes remaining.
Valley regrouped, aided by the experience of the bench, Thomas Lamboley, Ryan Meacheam and Max Woodward, and found an extra gear, tightened control of possession, and in the 73rd minute, centre Ally Maclay crossed for the decisive score, converted by Rosslee, to extend their lead to 23-15, before a last minute penalty, made it 26-15.
On balance the Valley dominance put pressure on Tigers, forced penalties to keep the scoreboard moving in Valleys favour. Tigers defended well. They were more clinical in attack than Valley, scoring twice with only 3 visits to the Valley 22 throughout the game. Valley will be pleased with the win: they remain the benchmark team in the Premiership, but have yet to find their mojo, yet still do enough to win. Their precision and speed with the ball, so evident last season, has yet to click.
In the other 2 games, Kowloon scored a last minute try to beat HKCC. Kowloon led for most of the match, thanks to timely tries and accurate kicking. They found themselves trailing 26-30 with a minute to go, after HKCC scored twice in rapid succession. Kowloon stayed calm, retained possession and crossed with the last move of the game to win 31-30, and can add this victory to their 40th anniversary celebrations this season.
Bloomberg Hong Kong Scottish, beat Natixis HKFC, 19-15, in another close contest. Scottish led throughout the match, and despite HKFC clawing back into the game, Scottish held on to win at HKFC for the first time.
This season is proving tight: all games in both rounds have been close, and team bench strength and depth will prove decisive. At this early stage, Valley are on top with 8 points from their two victories; HKCC 2nd with 6 points, a win and 2 bonus points; Scottish 3rd, with 5 points, a win and a bonus point; Tigers and Kowloon joint 4th with 4 points, with a win each; and HKFC props-up the table with a solitary bonus point, still looking for their first win.
Grahame Carder is a sports enthusiast, former player and now resident in Hong Kong.
