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The Old Mutual International Men’s Premiership clubs picked up where they left off with another weekend of exciting close-run affairs.
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Herbert Smith Freehills HKCC claimed the Broony Quaich off of Natixis HKFC with an important 27-19 away win at Sports Road, while Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers edged Kowloon, 13-10. SocieteGenerale Valley sprung the biggest margin this week with a 22-7 win over Bloomberg HK Scottish.
The Cricketers turned the league table on its head, claiming their first win of the season and handing Football Club its first loss, with what could prove a momentum-shifting win for the side under new coach Brett Wilkinson.
HKCC came charging out of the blocks with the forward pack putting the hosts under severe pressure from the start with an early wave of attacks putting prop Fai Mika across for a try in the tenth minute, with scrumhalf Jack Metters slotting the extras.
The two sides exchanged penalties for the rest of the half with HKFC fullback Glyn Hughes, one of the premier goal kickers in a league full of strong boots, putting his side’s first points on the board with a penalty in the 17th minute. Metters replied three minutes later to regain the lead 10-3.
Hughes narrowly missed on a 52-metre attempt,but was successful with his second penaltyat the 30-minute marker, capping a great break from Ben Axten-Burrett and some precision passing from the backline which set up the chip shot and closed the gap to 10-6.
The HKCC onslaught continued though repeatedly forcing HKFC into errors in their own half and giving Mettersa chance to push the buffer back to seven points at 13-6. Hughes closed the lead to 13-9 with his third penalty of the afternoon shortly afterbut Mettersadded a third strike to give HKCC a 16-9 point lead at the half.
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Firing on all cylinders early in the second half, HKCC forced another penalty with Metters’ conversion pushing their lead to 10 points after 44 minutes.
Flanker Matt Lamming further boosted the rampaging Cricketers after intercepting a pass on his own 22-metre line to charge 50 metresupfield before cut down by a trysaving tackle from Nathan De Thierry.
The onrushing support kept HKFC on its heels and four phases later Seb Brien, the hero of the recent Rugby World Cup Sevens qualification campaign, smashed over De Thierry to score.
De Thierry helped lead a Football Club fight back in the final 20minutes with a great solo try in the 59th minute, finishing off a half-break from scrumhalf Henry Poon before stepping several HKCC defenders to cross the whitewash. He closed the gap further five minute later with his penalty bringing the home side to within a converted try trailing 24-19.
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A renewed effort saw Football Club threatening HKCC’s line on several occasions but the Cricketers were able to extricate themselves from trouble on every occasion and even managed a final charge in the 77th minute that saw De Thierry handed a yellow card for a shoulder charge.
Metters’ conversion of the ensuring penalty gave HKCC an emotional 27-19 win and capped a performance that showed that the men from Wong Ngai Chung Gap could be gathering momentum for the remainder of the season.
In other Old Mutual Premiership action, USRC Tigers closed out a tight match over Kowloon at Kings Park after trailing 7-5 at halftime with Jamie Tsang scoring for Kowloon and fullback Michael Hanning notching the conversion.
Tigersfirst half points came from a late try through flanker Alex Woodburn,shifting momentum towards his side going into the break. USRCpicked up where they left off with another strike to start the second half as fullback Casey Stone crossing over for the try to take the 10-7 lead. Hanning drew Kowloon level with 15 minutes remaining but Tigers flyhalfRobbie Keith put them away with his first penalty in the 30th minute to claim the 13-10 win.
Valley enjoyed a convincing 22-7 win over Scottish after leading 15-0 at halftime and only allowing Scottish a consolation score in the 72nd minute.
The win puts Valley in pole position on the Premiership table with 14 points to Football Club’s 13, while Tigers have a one point edge over Scottish in third on 11 points. HKCC’s first scalp of the season lift them to joint-bottom with Kowloon on seven points.
University Wizards defend Old Mutual International Championship Cup
University Wizards successfully defended the Old Mutual International Championship Challenge Cup with a 41-33 victory over ECO Gai Wu Rebels. That matches the trophy’s opening two-week residence at SCAA First Pacific CWB Tempest. With all ofthe teams now used to the extra honour available weekly to the holders of the new trophy, RB-SRK Tin Shui Wai will have their eyes on the prize when they take on the Wizards in round five.
