Kerry Hotel Kowloon overcame a rusty opening to storm back to a 21-7 win over USRC Borrelli Walsh Tigers behind 18 unanswered second half points in today’s Saxo Markets Challenge Trophy Game of the Week. Societe Generale Valley handed Natixis HKFC its first loss of the season in a 26-19 thriller at Happy Valley, while Herbert Smith HKU Sandy Bay beat Bloomberg HK Scottish 30-22 in the rematch of last year’s grand finalists in other Challenge Trophy action.

It was a day to kick off rust league-wide, as the stars of the Saxo Markets Premiership returned to action ahead of the upcoming Premiership race. The tie between Kowloon and Tigers featured the likes of Hong Kong captain James Cunningham, No.8 James Sawyer, utility back Jack Neville and Lewis Warner all making their season debuts for Kowloon, along with Cris Pierrepont, on his club debut after coming across from Sports Road in the off-season.  

Hong Kong caps Dan Barlow, Sam Purvis, Tyler Spitz and Calvin Hunter added muscle to the Tigers’ hunt for their first points in the Challenge Trophy. After a taut first half, it looked as if Tigers would bag that quarry, looking the more dangerous side and clinging to a 7-3 lead.

For coach Scott Sneddon, his returning firepower almost overwhelmed Kowloon’s effort, as his side once again gifted their opposition plenty of ball in the first half, before coming right down the stretch.  

“Pleased to get the win,” Sneddon said post-game, “but it was also good to get the guys running around and to knock off a bit of rustiness. We had a couple of new combinations out and Tigers really pressured us defensively, so it was a bit frustrating in that first half. I think we overplayed a bit and at made it a bit too easy for them. We played into their hands a bit, I thought.”

His message to keep things simple resonated in the second half as Kowloon got on the front foot.

“At half-time we just talked about clearing our lines more and not playing in our own third too much. Being more clinical and a bit more aggressive, honestly, as there were times in the first half when we came off second best physically.

“We were a bit too individual, which is understandable with the boys coming in today and the new combinations. But our combos were working well before they came in and I think they tried to do a bit too much, you know, trying to take on the world - which is what guys do when they are in their first game back and wanting to show something.”

The Tigers can build from their physical effort today with their heat-seeking rush defence putting Kowloon’s halfback pairing of scrumhalf Bryn Phillips and fly half Joe Barker under early pressure. Barker also struggled early from the tee, missing the game’s first scoring chance - a 30-metre penalty attempt from straight on after eight minutes.

That miscue was followed by Tigers getting on the board first through a somewhat fortunate try for No. 8 Lawrence Miller, who followed up a pick and go off the back of a ruck deep in Kowloon’s half with a kick that ricocheted off Phillips’ knee before bouncing back into Miller’s hands, as he strolled across the line untouched. Zac Hrstich converted to give Tigers the 7-0 buffer.

Tigers upped their intensity defensively after the score but conceded a second penalty to Barker after a poor decision to run out of their own 22-metres put them under pressure. This time Barker split the sticks to put his side on the board, 7-3, where the score would remain until half time.

Kowloon came out strong in the second to score 18 points without reply. Their run started shortly after half time with Kowloon earning an attacking scrum 30 metres out from the re-start. A good shove gave Phillips a positive platform and he delivered a pretty inside pass to wing George Watkins coming in off his touchline. Set on a perfect attacking line, Watkins scampered behind the scrum and right through the centres untouched for Kowloon’s first five pointer.

Kowloon were back on attack later through Lewis Warner, who had looked dangerous all afternoon and finally found the ball and space to work with it, as he sprung a 60-metre run to bring the attack to five metres out from the line. The forwards got chippy as Kowloon’s pack tried repeatedly to jam the ball over the line before Tigers were penalised for some off ball activity. Fullback Ed Styles was given the chance and he slotted his first kick of the day to push Kowloon’s lead to 11-7 with 30 minutes remaining.

The first runs of the season and the 30-degree heat caught up to both sides late as the game slowed down with some stop start play and a kicking battle ensued in the third quarter.

Kowloon’s next scoring chance came off of an offside penalty against Tigers with reserve back Jack Hughes good off the tee from 40 metres as Kowloon extended its lead to a still reachable 14-7.

In the 75th minute Kowloon lock David Markham, who has already proven to be an invaluable addition to the club in his first season, dented the defence with a thumping crash ball. Reserve prop Jack Bowditch recycled possession from the ensuing ruck and stepped into space with 10 metres to the line. He was well supported by Cunningham and reserve prop Jono Green with the three-man leg drive pushing Bowditch across the line for Kowloon’s second try. Hughes converted to bring the final score to 21-7.

Valley handed HKFC its first defeat after jumping out to a 21-0 lead at the break. The scoring came fast and furious with Valley producing three strikes in a 10-minute window from centres Penikolo Latu (17th minute), Whiria Meltzer (21) and flanker Carl Marks. Wing Kevin Field added all three conversions to push the score to 21-0.

Club staunched the bleeding with a positive second half as Jamie Lauder and Eremia Tapsell crossed over in the third quarter to close the gap to 21-12 with plenty of time remaining but it was Valley’s Patrick King who would put the nail in the coffin with his try after 70 minutes putting the game out of reach at 26-12. New arrival Robert Lind sparked some late heroics for Club with an injury time try to cut the gap to 26-19 after the conversion from Nate De Thierry but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

Sandy Bay repeated their grand final win over Scottish at Kings Park with a 30-22 victory after leading 14-9 at half time through tries from lock Alexis Brochet and flanker Web Vueti, both of which were converted by Jack Metters.  

Fly half Gregor McNeish added two first half penalties for Scottish, before collecting a yellow card, with wing Jarrod Mongston slotting the third posts-shot to get to 14-9 at half time.  

The second half opened up as McNeish and Metters exchanged penalties in the first ten minutes to bring Sandy Bay’s lead to 17-12 before Scottish lock Rory Drummond’s try gave his side its first lead of the game after Mongston’s extras, 19-17.  No.8 Luke van der Smit scored the game winner for Sandy Bay in the 67th minute with Metters conversion bringing the lead to 24-19 before a final penalty from Mongston narrowed the gap back to 24-22. But in a somewhat anti-climactic finish Metters calmly slotted two close in penalties to push the final margin to 30-22, ending a physical battle that will have left both sides keen to meet again when Premiership places are on the line.

Today’s results see Club and Valley maintain their grip as co-leaders on the table on 16 points, with Scottish in third on 11, while Kowloon move into tied fourth with Sandy Bay on nine points and Tigers in sixth.