Societe Generale Valley play SCAA First Pacific Causeway Bay in tomorrow’s KPMG Premiership Game of the Week. 

Plastic Free Seas City Sparkle take on Gai Wu at KGV at 16.30; Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers face off with Kerry Hotel Kowloon at KGV (18.00); and Natixis HKFC Ice host Transact 24 Tai Po Dragons at 18.00 in other women’s premiership action on Saturday.

The Game of the Week is a pivotal clash between two of the three undefeated sides on the young season, in a contest that could separate the pretenders and the contenders ahead of the planned split into Premiership and Premiership A competitions at the end of the year.

Both sides carry perfect records into the week three tie, alongside defending league and grand champions Gai Wu.

Valley opened their campaign with a thrilling 29-21 win over Tigers in a hotly contested affair, before looking more like themselves after a 72-0 win over Tai Po Dragons last Saturday, with player-coach Bella Milo scoring four tries in the rout.

Similarly, Causeway Bay had a resounding 55-7 win over City in week one, before outlasting a tough challenge from Football Club - winning 15-12 last Saturday at Sports Road. 

Gai Wu and Valley are tied in the standings after picking up bonus points in each of their two prior outings for ten points and a share of first place.  Deprived of a second bonus point to start the season, Causeway Bay fell to third in the standings on nine points.

Causeway Bay coach Chris Lin is realistic about his side’s chances to leapfrog the competition on Saturday.

“Valley will be a much bigger challenge than Football Club and we know that,” said Lin.

“They have a number of current and former Hong Kong players and a number of international players like Bella, so they will be a really good test for us,” Lin added.

Lin chalked up last week’s win over Football Club to his side’s disciplined defence and fast start to the match, scoring two early tries.  He knows that that effort will need to be duplicated and even expanded upon on Saturday.

“Compared with last week, Valley are much tougher across the pitch. Our target is to keep our defensive effort from last week and really to keep close with Valley will be a result for us.”

Lin has his side focused on improving from last year’s finish, when Causeway Bay ended the season a disappointing seventh out of the eight Premiership sides and were relegated to the Premiership Development competition after the league split. 

The club redeemed itself with a strong finish to the Premiership Development, finishing second overall, but were ushered out of the Grand Championships by Tigers. 

Lin will have his strongest squad to select from and is also benefiting from Causeway Bay’s second team in NL2 being on bye.  He is after more than just a cohesive defensive effort, saying his side is targeting scoring tries against Valley.

“Last year, scoring tries was an issue for us down the stretch and particularly against Valley, so in addition to wanting to keep the result close we are out to score some tries against them.

“The girls are confident to score a couple. They know it’s tough because it is Valley, but we are working hard on changing that mindset when we play the Gai Wus and the Valleys, that we are able to compete,” Lin added.

Keeping Valley in check on Saturday will go a long way towards shoring up Causeway Bay’s position ahead of the impending split into Premiership and Premiership A competitions this season.