The KPMG Women’s Premiership restarts tomorrow in its innovative new format of a four-team KPMG Women’s Premiership and a four-team KPMG Women’s Premiership Development, based on standings after the first seven rounds. With this first week’s play a straight re-run of the four games last time out, the drawcard is once again Societe Generale Valley against Eco Gai Wu Falcons (16.30, KGV). The other top-four pairing, Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers and Natixis HKFC Ice, meet an hour later at Education University. At either end of the afternoon are the Premiership Development games between Transact 24 Tai Po Dragons and Comvita City Sparkle (15.00, Tai Hang Tung) and SCAA First Pacific Causeway Bay and Kowloon Ladies (SKP, 18.00).

As ever, Valley coach Bella Milo sees room to strengthen her side’s performance in last game’s 32-5 win.

“We were overcommitting at the breakdown, so we’ll keep more players on their feet and ready to execute. We didn’t finish as well as we should have – there were a couple of tries we left on the field in the second half. I want to see better line speed this week,’ she reels off.

But Milo has respect for the opposition.

“It’s never an easy game against Gai Wu. Last week was closer than the score suggests – for instance, if Greer had got her runaway [almost crossing after a dash from the centre], they could have picked up momentum and taken a hold on the game. So we aren’t taking anything for granted,” she said.

“I think it’s the first time Valley and Gai Wu play back-to-back games, and it’s going to be about the team that turns up, mentally and physically. The side that can back themselves mentally can take it.”

Milo is already responding to the demands of the new league arrangement and intends to bring on her bench earlier, to spread the load and build the depth of her squad. She also has to contend with the absence of Black Fern World Cup champion Aroha Savage and a bench start for core national player Amelie Seure, just back in town.

“We’ll bring the reserves on earlier, to give them more game time. With some players away and [second side] Valley Reds not playing, it’s a good opportunity for our depth to come on,” she said.

Gai Wu’s Lai Yiu Pang has also made adjustments, going into this second contest with Valley.

“My message to the girls is to attack more. We created opportunities, especially in the first 50 minutes, but weren’t smart enough to take them. Players weren’t spotting the attacking chances,” urges Lai.

“The whole team has to keep focus from 50 to 80 minutes, not play for half the game and then drop off.”

“Our scrum didn’t function as well as it should have. Improvement there will provide the foundation and encouragement for the team to play wider,” he observes.

Lai acknowledges the impact of Greer Muir – one of a string of Antipodean signings by Women’s Premiership clubs this season – but says the other 14 players have to share that workload.

“She has vision that we lack, and I want her to be more vocal and use her experience to help BB [Lee Tsz Ting ] organise the forwards, particularly,” he said.

Lai believes his team have the playing skills for this level, but have to build their game awareness.

“The team are doing their jobs, in general, but we need our decision makers to get the vision right, to recognise how to play opportunities more effectively. They have to read the game and take responsibility. They especially need to be aware faster of what’s coming next, getting the forwards in position, and everyone on the same page,” he said.

Lai will try some younger players at 9 and 10. Wong Suet Ying will start if she is fit, after taking a knock during a National Team Junior Development Programme session during the week.

Chow Mei Nan is unavailable for the rest of the season, with a pre-arranged commitment. Christy Cheng and Melody Li will only return from injury after New Year, and this week Lai is also missing another national team player, Lee Ka Shun. However, other injured players all return this week, giving him some options.

Elsewhere locally, two new trophies from women’s rugby sponsors KPMG are being contested for the second time. In Round 7 of KPMG Women's NL 1, the KPMG National League 1 Challenge Shield is on the line as holders Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers 2 meet Transact24 Tai Po Dragons 2 (King’s Park, 19.30). One level below, in KPMG Women's NL 2, it’s SCAA First Pacific CWB Lammergeier defending the KPMG National League 2 Challenge Shield against Natixis HKFC Fire at So Kon Po at 16:30.