HONG KONG—Societe Generale Valley maintained their unbeaten start to the Hong Kong Premiership with a convincing win 31-17 over Bloomberg Hong Kong Scottish at The Rock (Shek Kip Mei).
The wide pitch and savannah-like space provided the Valley backs with a mouth-watering opportunity to run the ball and enjoy ample pitch space.
The game started with Valley immediately testing the Scottish defense. Within 5minutes Valley had probed left and right, and found room out wide for winger Doug Fluker to cross for Valley to open the scoring. The conversion was missed, but the try signaled intent, giving Valley a confidence boosting lead, 5-0. Soon extended to 8-0, with a penalty by from flyhalf Matt Rosslee.
Scottish began to gain momentum, and once refreshed and rejuvenated from the ‘water break’ Ewan Miller bustled over for a try under the posts, and flyhalf Gregor McNeish, added the points, to narrow the score to 8-7 after 20 minutes. Scottish won a penalty 5 minutes later, and after lip by Valley, gained another 10 metres, making it eminently kickable; which McNeish duly did. Scottish led 8-10. For the first time this season, Valley was behind on the scoreboard.
That unusual state-of-affairs did not last long. From the restart Valley applied pressure, collecting the ball directly from the kick-off and settled into the Scottish 22. Rosslee missed a penalty, and winger Ryan Meacheam, was smother-tackled crossing the Scottish tryline, after beating two players and running 30 metres.
At 32 minutes, Valley pressure was finally rewarded with another penalty, this time converted by Rosslee, putting Valley back in the lead 11-10. Then at 36 minutes, Valley produced a sublime piece of play. The highlight of the match. Rosslee cross-ticked from right to left for centre Max Woodward to catch, and pass inside to the on-running Fluker who strolled over the line for his second try of the afternoon, converted by Rosslee. Valley now looked comfortable with an 18-10 lead. A Valley penalty on the stroke of halftime, made it 21-10. Valley in the ascendant; Scottish feeling the game slipping.
Scottish began the second-half brightly, but a 50 metre counter-attack kick-and-chase by Meacheam, to out sprint the Scottish defence and touchdown in the corner, extended Valley’s lead to 26-10. The conversion was missed.
(Bill Cox/Epoch Times)
For the next 20 minutes the match see-sawed. Scottish tried in vain to break-through the Valley defence; and Valley butchered scoring chances, where the final pass just didn’t happen, or the touchline proved too close.
After 65 minutes, Valley hooker Dayne Jans, barged across the Scottish tryline, for Valleys fourth try, and bonus point score, to stretch the lead to 31-10. Again the conversion was missed.
Scottish rallied in the final few minutes, and deservedly scored another try by Lachlan Chubb, converted by McNeish that added some pride to the scoreline.
Valley won with ease 31-17. Their pack edged Scottish throughout the match, and their backs reveled in the bigger pitch and made full use of the wide channels. Scottish defended tenaciously, tackled well and ran the ball at Valley, but it wasn’t enough to take anything from the game. It was an entertaining match, both teams played their part and for nonpartisan spectators this was a good advert for the Hong Kong Premiership.
In other matches, Natixis HKFC beat Kowloon 23-12 at Kings Park. Kowloon opened the scoring, but HKFC clawed back to lead 13-7 at halftime. Kowloon pressured HKFC in the second-half, scored early to reduce the deficit to 13-12, but two scores by HKFC, a try and conversion, then a penalty, put the game beyond Kowloon’s reach, 23-12.
Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers came from behind to beat Herbert Smith Freehills HKCC 28-22. At one stage, Tigers trailed by 16points, but fought back to finish strongly in the second-half, with a combination of accurate kicking and creative try scoring, to earn a hard-fought win over HKCC.
All three games this Saturday, were away wins, for Valley, HKFC and Tigers.
Valley remain unbeaten and head the Hong Kong Premiership with 13 points; Tigers are 2nd with 8 points; HKCC third with 7points; Scottish fourth with 5 points, but edge HKFC, also with 5 points, due to a superior points difference; Kowloon, prop the table in sixth, with 4points. HKCC, Scottish, HKFC and Kowloon all have one win and two losses: the difference between the teams are crucial bonus points. It will be a tough, tight season
Grahame Carder is a sports enthusiast, former player and now resident in Hong Kong.
