“UNDERSTRENGTH” VALLEY BEAT CITY, BUILD CONFIDENCE AHEAD OF KPMG PREMIERSHIP BREAK

03rd Dec 2016


Societe Generale Valley beat Comvita City, 64-5, in the final KPMG Women’s Premiership match of 2016 tonight at Shek Kip Mei.

Defending league and grand champions Valley made a statement with their numbers – and not just the ones they put on the scoreboard – as the side pulled out a win despite having eight of its regulars absent on international duty.

Six Valley players are with the senior national team as Hong Kong prepares for next week’s Women’s Rugby World Cup qualifiers, while two were away with the successful Hong Kong U18 Girls Sevens squad that won the Asia Rugby U18s Girls Sevens championship in Dubai.

Despite being light on numbers, Valley was keen to accept the fixture with City, as both sides wanted a run ahead of the winter break.

With just 16 first team players available, Valley coach James Eliot called upon the club’s National League 1 players and they stepped up in fine fashion.

The team’s established players led the way for the newbies, with winger Laurel Chor and fullback Zoe Smith accounting for three tries each, while captain Olivia Coady collected a brace as the Valley juggernaut rolled on.

“Going in to a game without eight national team players would have probably put a big drain on almost any other club, but we called up the girls from our NL1 side and they really stepped up,” said Elliot.

“I’m so proud of them. We had so many players come into the game today, many of them playing out of position and knowing we needed them to play a huge amount of minutes, and they really came through. Some of the girls played more minutes today than they have all season,” Elliot added.

Today’s influx of players from the lower leagues brings Valley’s total numbers of players appearing in the Premiership to date this season to 34, as Valley adds depth to its growing list of threats.

Elliot credited City for meeting the fixture: “Everyone said we were crazy to want to play with only 16 players, but we didn’t play last week and neither did City and we both wanted to get more games in before the break,” Elliot added.

“And it was a really good game. City put up a great fight. They never let up and played with a lot of heart. The try they scored was a beauty, they ran right through us; there was a lot of good rugby played today by both sides,” Elliot added.

Today’s result returns Valley to the top of the table alongside CPM Gai Wu Falcons, both of whom are on 29 points. Valley has the head-to-head advantage after beating Falcons a fortnight ago, and has a game in hand on last year’s grand championship runners-up.

Both clubs will be sharpening their games for the stretch run to the league and grand championship when the Premiership returns in January.

“We do need a break now,” said Elliot, “We’ve been working hard on our aggression around the pitch and in eliminating some communication issues and giving away fewer penalties and will continue to work on those things for when we start again.

“But we can take a lot of confidence from that result. It shows that we are more than just a team, we are a club and that even without our internationals we can still play winning rugby,” Elliot added.

Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers are in third with 20 points, followed by Natixis HKFC Ice on 15 and SCAA First Pacific Causeway Bay Phoenix on 8. Kowloon is in sixth with five points while City is in seventh on 1 point.

All attention will now turn towards the upcoming World Rugby Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 qualifier to be held in Hong Kong next week. Japan and Fiji will take part in the three-team competition with the top two-placed finishers booking their places in the World Cup next year in Ireland. Hong Kong will play Fiji on 9 December in the opening match of the qualifier.

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