NAN FUNG GROUP | AIRSIDE HONG KONG PREMIERSHIP: ROUND 9 REVIEW

2026 started off with Round 9 of the 2025/26 Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Hong Kong Premiership on 9-10 January 2026, after a festive season and New Year’s break which also saw some clubs announce new signings.

A new year, but the top of the Women’s and Men’s Premiership tables stayed the same as the undefeated Societe Generale Valley RFC women and the men’s side were again victorious.

Women’s Premiership

Causeway Sandy Bay 8-48 Societe Generale Valley RFC

Under Captain Kea Herewini, the Valley side has been unstoppable this season, and the machine keeps moving forward with another win. The side has a scattering of Hong Kong China representaive team players (Chloe Chan, Haruka Uematsu, Abigail Chan, and Zoe Smith, to name a few) and overseas signings such as the in-form Hasting Leiataua.

The club also re-signed fly-half Lara Schats, who started this round and said of rejoining, “I am excited to come back to the Hong Kong rugby scene after a long time away. Valley is an absolutely brilliant club and one with a special connection to my family.” Schats played with Stellenbosch University and Boland Dames in South Africa.

Causeway Sandy Bay are second from the bottom in the Premiership and next face Kowloon, which is a game they will target for a win.

Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons 14-32 Kroll USRC Tigers Women

Kroll USRC Tigers Women maintained their second position on the log after beating Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons, and Jess Ho, representative team player for Hong Kong China 7s and 15s, was the Women’s Player of the Round. The Tigers face HKFC in a crucial game in the next round.

For Gai Wu, the loss means they are fourth on the log and face an uphill battle next weekend when they host Valley RFC.

Kowloon Rugby Club 10-34 HKFC Natixis Ice

HKFC came into the game with Saracens-signed Roshini Turner appearing off the bench for the club for the first time this season, as they ran out bonus point winners with new front row signing, hooker Roni Setu from the Queensland Reds, also in the mix from the bench.

Head Coach Hannah Edwards said of the strengths of Setu, “Her physicality and ball-carrying skill set and ability to create go forward… “We’re looking forward to seeing how she contributes, particularly to our set piece.”

At the break, the visitors led 17-10, and they doubled their score in the second period to stay in 4th place on the ladder with former representative team player Christy Cheng among the scorers. HKFC had 5 Hong Kong China representative team players and one Samoan international in the squad of 23.

HKFC have moved up to third position on the log, with Gai Wu now sitting in fourth place. Kowloon are still chasing a first win this campaign.

Men’s Premiership

Milwaukee Hong Kong Scottish 17-40 Kroll USRC Tigers RFC

The hosts went down to start the year as they did the season and lost to one of the standout teams this season – the Kroll USRC Tigers. 

The Tigers, under Head Coach Nigel Hotham, are a different animal from that of last season, in which they were winless. Ngia Selengbe was their POTM in the win, which was their 4th this campaign, and saw them stay in semifinal contention and well ahead of the defending champions Sandy Bay with six rounds to go.

Selengbe was the club's new signing during the break and made an immediate impact. The Congolese-born centre was raised in South Africa, where he played for Wits Uni and the Griffons in the 2025 Currie Cup.

For Milwaukee Hong Kong Scottish, Jacquin Moses, Rory Drummond (back at the club for a second stint), and new signing Joshua Setu scored tries, but the loss sees them still at the bottom of the log.

HKU Sandy Bay RFC 19-63 Societe Generale Valley RFC

A bad season got worse to start off 2026, as the HKU Sandy Bay RFC were well beaten by table-toppers Societe Generale Valley RFC at home, and the log leaders also avoided a third straight defeat in the Premiership. 

The win means Valley have a nice cushion at the top after second-placed Kowloon lost over the weekend. Among their squad this weekend were HKCR XVs flanker James Sawyer, former HKCR 7s captain Max Woodward, and off the bench, former Wales 7s player Luke Trehane, who is off to the Coral Coast 7s next weekend.

The club also announced the signing of Iobu Dalton, who has been capped by the Philippines national team and whose CV includes stints with Auckland Blues U20s, Moana Pasifika U20s, and the NZ Barbarians. 

Kowloon Rugby Club 28-46 HKFC Natixis Club 

HKFC gained revenge over Kowloon after they had defeated them at Hong Kong Football Club previously, and the hard-fought win means they have moved up into second position, three points behind league leaders Valley RFC.

HKFC were leading 19-7 at the break despite three yellow cards. Kowloon had tries in the second period thanks to Ron Steven Tavodi and a brace from James Pavey but couldn't keep pace with HKFC, who ran out 46-28 winners.

The HKFC team was stacked with representative team players, and among the 8 starting this match were James Holmes, Tyler McNutt, Pierce Mackinlay-West, Jack Bartlett, Tommy Hill, and more. Former Scotland 7s player Robbie Fergusson started at fly-half, and his Scotland 7s teammate Jamie Farndale was among the reserves.

HKFC faces the Kroll USRC Tigers RFC at home on a Friday night clash for a tasty game in Round 10.

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