NAN FUNG GROUP | AIRSIDE HONG KONG PREMIERSHIP: SEMI-FINALS REVIEW

The 2025/26 Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Hong Kong Premiership has one last matchday left after the semi-finals were contested over the weekend, and in both the Men’s and Women’s competitions, the teams which finished in the top two on the log will play the Grand Championship Final on Saturday 14 March 2026.

Women’s League Winners, Societe Generale Valley RFC, defeated Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons, and Kroll USRC Tigers Women beat the HKFC Natixis Ice.

For the men, HKFC Natixis Club beat Kowloon in a nailbiter, and Societe Generale Valley RFC defeated Kroll USRC Tigers RFC, as the two men’s teams with the most titles will determine the champions next weekend.

Women’s Semi-finals

Societe Generale Valley RFC 22-0 Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons 

Societe Generale Valley RFC are aiming for what will be its 14th Grand Championship Premiership title in the past 17 seasons, after they saw off the challenge of Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons at the Happy Valley Recreation Ground, coming out on top 22-0.

The club said online of having both Men and Women in the final, “Huge congratulations to the Societe Generale Valley RFC Men’s and Women’s team for securing a place in the Hong Kong Premiership Grand Finals. We are proud of our management teams, players, sponsors and supporters who have helped us get this far. Massive week ahead for us all!”.

Before the weekend, Societe Generale Valley RFC Head Coach Bella Milo talked about righting wrongs in terms of performance, and they got the result that mattered, but the opposition proved to be tough once again. They should be happy with their defensive effort to keep the Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons scoreless in the semi-final and to score four tries themselves.

They led 10-0 at the break after Grace Hamilton powered over from short range to open the score, and a defensive lapse by the visitors just after the half-hour mark enabled Valley to pounce on a second try, thanks to left wing Zoe Smith.

Additional tries in the final forty minutes to right wing Jessica Eden and Jayme Nuku sealed the win and another appearance in a Grand Final.

Kroll USRC Tigers Women 33-19 HKFC Natixis Ice

Kroll USRC Tigers Women were victorious 33-19 over HKFC Natixis Ice at King’s Park Sports Ground, and the victory means it's three in a row for the side coached by Conor Joyce over last year's finalists.

The Head Coach had talked of the defensive efforts of his side in the latter stages of the season being crucial, and they once again turned the screws in the second half. 

For the defeated HKFC, they had scored first, and tries came from Octavia Nanai-Iafeta and Lauren Knowler in the first half to lead 12-0 after 28 minutes but Kroll USRC Tigers struck back after Hong Kong China 7s teammates Jessica Ho and Ka Yan Chong linked up with the speedster beating three defenders for their first try, and within 5 minutes Hinemaringi Scott scored the team’s second try for them to edge ahead 14-12 at half-time.

The 'shut-them-out' mentality the Tigers coached talked of pre-game was evident as they restricted HKFC to a single try, but added 19 points themselves to claim the win to march on to the finals.

Hinemaringi Scott scored her second try, Maggie Au Yeung crossed over from close range, before Ka Yan Chong got her second try of the game too. HKFC scored a late try through Zoe Teece.

HKFC Forwards Coach and WCCO, former USA Eagle Charli Jacoby, said before the game, regardless of the result, that their work continues.

“The Prem has the bones of being a consistently competitive league, but the main thing will be the retention of athletes, as we have all these young players, but many will go overseas to university. So, it's our collective job to get them to come back or stay to play here. You can see the level of the games is competitive, and we need to find ways to round it out and make sure the players are getting the most out of every opportunity they have.”

Men’s Semi-finals

HKFC Natixis Club 20-18 Kowloon Rugby Club

HKFC have put themselves in a position to extend on the record number of Men’s Premiership titles, with 11 already in the history books, they will look to reclaim the title they last won in 2024 after beating Kowloon on Saturday.

Although HKFC made it three wins in a row over Kowloon to clinch the semi-final, it was a tough nail-biter with the winning kick coming after the hooter, scored by Matteo Avitabile after Kowloon thought they might have snatched the win late in the game.

Kowloon looked good in the opening half, initially missing out on three points from a penalty in the 5th minute, but they did make it 3-0 later on. Scorers for HKFC in the opening period were Madison Hunting with the try converted by Matteo Avitabile, as they led 7-3.

Kowloon reduced the deficit with a second penalty before the pack scored from a rolling maul in the 41st minute to go into the break leading 11-7.

Left-wing Murray Brechin got the first try in the second half for HKFC, and another three points from a penalty meant they were ahead 17-11 in the final quarter. 

It was Kowloon who were camped in the opposition 22m area for much of the final ten minutes, and after several waves of attacks, left wing Tom Edwards scored on the right edge, converted in the 79th minute, as they led 18-17 with the restart to come.

Kowloon defended well but gave away the vital penalty, which was slotted by Matteo Avitabile from 40+ meters out to confirm it was HKFC who would march on to the final, to the delight of Ben Siffleet in his first season as HKFC’s Men’s Club Coaching Officer. 

Societe Generale Valley RFC 25-14 Kroll USRC Tigers RFC 

Valley RFC have the second-most titles in the Men’s Premiershi with 7, but the last time they lifted the Grand Final silverware was in 2018.

They also made it three wins over their opposition this season by defeating Kroll USRC Tigers RFC 25-14, as Head Coach ‘Gus’ Leger looks for a maiden title since joining them in 2023 and in the club's 50th anniversary season.

Centre Isaac Campbell-Wu broke the deadlock in the 10th minute to put Societe Generale Valley RFC ahead, and three points from the boot saw them ahead by a score of 10-0. Scrum Half Alistair Stacey scored the side’s second try in the 33rd minute to lead 15-0 at the half-time whistle.

Nigel Hotham’s side has been much improved this season and fought back in the second period after Valley had extended their lead to 18-0. 

Blake Elliot scored on the right wing to narrow the lead, but Viliame Naivalu scored the Valley RFC try, which sealed the game late in the half, despite a second and consolation try for the Tigers well after the 80 minutes.

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