Rock solid Ice beat CWB

From Kim Kan of Ice. Photos by Jacky Yeung.

The HKFC ICE/Gai Wu (GAICE) women kicked the season off to a great start with a grueling victory over Causeway Bay this weekend, 10-5. After last year's Grand Championship Final saw an 80 minute battle in the trenches against CWB with the ICE women emerging victorious, CWB was looking to settle the score.As the game opened, it looked like they were heading into a repeat of the Grand Championship final with both sides playing fast and furious defense, but slow to launch any offensive attack. Nerves got the better of both teams as knock-on after knock-on forced the forwards to repeatedly scrum down.

Unfortunately, GAICE found themselves at the mercy of an outside overlap by CWB, bringing the score to 5-0. GAICE quickly answered back with a lovely series of inside ball by the forwards, and after sending a quick ball down the back line and into the hands of speedy winger, Emmy Chan, the score at the end of the first half stood at 5-5.

The second half saw some great improvements by the GAICE scrum and several just-missed opportunities. After a scrum down near the CWB try line with merciless attempts by the GAICE forwards, scrum-half and pitch captain, Fiona Foxon, managed to push the ball over the try line leading the team up 10-5.The game ended with GAICE staunchly defending their try line with the cheers from the Sportsmans' Bar urging them on.

Great team work and determination saw the ball ripped from CWB hands and brought into touch as the final whistle blew. Well done GAICE and good luck against Valley next week.