HKRU PREMIERSHIP CLUBS CONTEST FINAL SUPER SATURDAY OF 2015/16 SEASON

15th Jan 2016

With five rounds remaining in the Hong Kong Rugby Union Premiership, the action will be heating up in the final Super Saturday of the season tomorrow at Hong Kong Football Club as all six sides vie for the crucial spots in the final four that will send them through to the Grand Championships playoffs.

Runaway league leaders Societe Generale Valley play Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers at 16.45 tomorrow, immediately following the crucial clash between Leighton Asia Hong Kong Cricket Club and Bloomberg Hong Kong Scottish at 15.00. Hosts Natixis Hong Kong Football Club face off against Sabre Kowloon in the evening’s finale at 18.30.

While Societe Generale Valley are seemingly unstoppable at the top of the table with a perfect 10-0 record, the battle for the final four places is heating up with HKCC, Scottish, Tigers and Football Club all within five points of second place.

After jumping into second place on the table last week, Hong Kong Cricket Club (HKCC) are set for a match against their nearest rivals Scottish to open the triple trio of matches on Saturday at Sports Road.HKCC enter the weekend on 22 points on the table ahead of Scottish and Tigers who are tied third on 20.

HKCC have been boosted by the return of Hong Kong prop Jack Nielsen from New Zealand over the winter break and are showing some resurgent form after winning three of their last four games against Football Club (32-12), Tigers (43-23) and Scottish (49-10), those results interrupted only by a narrow 21-16 loss to Valley.

Coach Deacon Manu is clear-eyed about what still remains to be done if they are to return to the Grand Championship final for a third successive year this season.“Valley are well clear on the table at present so it’s becoming a fight for second place. Those spots look like they can change week in and week out, so the next month of the season is going to be vital to secure points.”

HKCC are still dealing with a rash of injuries with eight players unavailable on Saturday, including playmakers Angus Cameron, Matt Lamming and Tom McQueen.

This weekend’s challenge will be a significant one notes Manu: “Scottish play an expansive game like us, so Saturday’s match could see a lot of tries. They have some big ball carriers and we’re expecting a very tough match.”

On their side of the pitch, Scottish are looking to build off a win to start the second half of the season last weekend.“We’re looking to find some consistency after the win last weekend. It was a scrappy victory but a win is a win. We’re looking forward to this match with HKCC riding high off some good wins. We know they will be up for it. Our squad is more stabilized now after the break with pretty much everyone available. We will be able to run out a similar side to that which picked up the points for us last week,” Rennie said.

In the finale of the Super Saturday hosted by the Hong Kong Football Club, the home XV will look to reverse a recent string of unfavourable results as they mount their bid to climb into the top four.

“This is a tough game and a must-win for us really,” said coach Phil Bailey. “We’re coming off of three losses and need to nail this one. We’ve not been creating enough opportunities and have put ourselves in poor position on the field too often this season, putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure. Even so we have been in the hunt in every game it just comes down to executing that final pass under pressure,” Bailey said.

The Sports Road outfit is another group struggling with injuries to some of its first-choice stars. “Many of our internationals like Dan Falvey are still injured, some of them have been out for a while now, but hopefully we will get Dan back after Chinese New Year. Another Hong Kong international Adam Butterfield has also been ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury,” Bailey added.

Despite injury woes, Bailey is setting high goals for his team. “Our aim is to finish in the top two, to give ourselves that extra bye week at the end of the season. To do this we have been very careful to try and manage the squad and to keep as many players as possible fit and out on the pitch as we go on.”

Club will play Kowloon on Saturday evening and Kowloon coach James Scaysbrook and his charges are intent on spoiling the party at Sports Road.

“Our tails are up based on our performance over the first part of the season. Even losing to Valley last week [42-21] had a lot of positives, barring a period in the middle of the match where Valley played exceptionally well.

“HKFC have a good strong squad. They play with a lot of tempo and like to move the ball around a lot. So we’ll be looking to impose our game more and to control the game. We have had good trainings this week and we’re looking forward to Saturday.”

More compelling rugby is on offer in the HKRU Women’s Premiership this weekend as third-placed Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers take on CPM Gai Wu Falcons, one place and ten points above them on the league table.

The teams have both shown they can score at will this season but Gai Wu’s more robust defence has so far kept them on the tail of leaders Societe Generale Valley Black Ladies, who play SCAA First Pacific CWB Phoenix CWB.

Natixis HKFC Ice will be looking to maintain their creditable performance in their first top-flight season as they tackle winless Transact 24 Tai Po Dragon Ladies at KGV.


Fixtures for tomorrow's HKRU Premiership Action:

HKRU Men's Premiership
Leighton Asia HKCC v Bloomberg Hong Kong Scottish (15.00)- Hong Kong Football Club
Societe Generale Valley v Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers (16.45) - Hong Kong Football Club
Natixis Hong Kong Football Club v Sabre Kowloon (18.30) - Hong Kong Football Club

HKRU Women's Premiership
Soc Gen Valley Black Ladies v SCAA First Pacific CWB Phoenix 15.00 Shek Kip Mei
Transact24 Tai Po Dragons Ladies v Natixis HKFC Ice KGV, 18.00
Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers v CPM Gai Wu Falcons - 18.00, Kings Park 1

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