Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers beat Gai Wu Falcons 25-12 in today’s KPMG Top 4 Grand Championship play-offs to set up a new-look finale against Societe Generale Valley, who beat Kerry Hotel Kowloon 31-0 in today’s other play-off.   It will be the first Grand Final in the last four seasons not to feature Gai Wu versus Valley, after Tigers’ memorable win - their first in three tries against the Falcons in the last month.

Despite limping to the finish with injuries to talisman players like Natasha Olson-Thorne, the Tigers dug deep into their reserves to upset the Falcons, picking up momentum as the match went on.  They drew first blood in the seventh minute, when Tsang Yuen-ying scored in the corner. That try was an added lift for the side with Tsang one of the players drafted in from NL1 for the play-off.  

“She has played NL1 for the majority of the season, so for her to score gave us a lot of encouragement, and we stayed strong throughout the game,” said Tigers coach Fan Shun-kei.

That early confidence was shaken 30 minutes later when the unstoppable Chong Ka-yan came up with a big try; Stephanie Chan added the conversion as the Falcons threatened to swoop in to claim the lead just minutes before half time.  

Undeterred, the Tigers took the re-start back into scoring position and forced Falcons into conceding a penalty, which Charlotte Myrans, playing at lock instead of hooker to shore up positions, slotted perfectly to put Tigers ahead at the whistle, 8-7.

It was a game of clutch moments like that for Tigers - and Myrans, who came up big in the second stanza.

“It was really tight when Gai Wu scored late in the first half, but luckily we got a penalty and Charlotte slotted it to take the lead into the second half. At the break, I just told them to be hungrier, be hungry on the ball and to want more and more.

“They went out and did just that. They were fired up,” Fan added.

The second half opened with a rollicking effort from both teams trying to break the one-point impasse. Tigers were handed the first opportunity when Gai Wu captain Ho Hoi-lam was sin-binned ten minutes after the re-start.

Myrans converted the ensuing penalty to push the Tigers lead to 11-7. She stepped up to the plate once again four minutes later with a try, pushing the lead to 18-7, after she added her own conversion.  

Tigers added a third try through Hong Kong winger Bena Yu with Myran’s conversion raising the ante to 25-7, and her personal tally on the night to 15 points, as Tigers cruised through to the finish.  Gai Wu managed a consolation try on 80 minutes to Chui Kam-chi, but ultimately were unable to defend their league and grand championship double from last season.

Now Tigers will have the chance to claim silverware from what has been a hugely promising – yet largely unfulfilled – season to date.

“Our mental game was on point tonight, because all of the girls were so strong. Hopefully this will give us a lot of confidence towards the Final and Valley. It’s a big step up for the team,” Fan added.

Valley showed a balanced effort with several Hong Kong internationals in on the action as Colleen Tjosvold and Jessica Eden scored first half tries. Winger Laurel Chor and flanker Riva Bell matched the feat in the second, with centre Zoe Smith notching four conversions in the 31-0 whitewash of Kowloon.

In the KPMG Premiership A play-offs, Natixis HKFC Ice beat Plastic Free Seas City Sparkle 46-0 behind four tries from captain Rachel Fong, while third-ranked Transact 24 Tai Po Dragons tipped the formbook with a tense 19-15 win over SCAA First Pacific Causeway Bay.

Wong Wing-ying’s 10th minute try, and the conversion from fullback Iris Lam, made for a two point bumper as Tai Po led 7-5 at the half, after Hau Sin-man had put Phoenix on the board with a try in the 38th minute. Causeway Bay couldn’t carry the momentum into the second half however, as Dragons were the first to score, pushing their lead to 12-5, and extending it again moments later with a third try, to go up 17-5 in the final quarter.

Phoenix stormed back with two tries inside the last ten minutes to close the gap to 19-15, but they couldn’t carry off the comeback, sending Dragons to the Prem A grand final. Dragons’ challenge grows by leaps and bounds now as they meet an HKFC side that seems to be growing in cohesion since the New Year with today’s win over City their seventh straight.