Meet the new lads #3 - Mike McKee

Name: Mike McKee

Age: 21

Occupation: Event & Project Coordinator

Nationality: Scottish

Rugby position: Full Back

Previous rugby clubs: Watsonians Favourite things about HKFC rugby: the unbeaten record we have (at the moment)

One thing you would change/introduce: Tighter rugby tops!?!?!?!?

Most embarrassing rugby experience: This one time in band camp

SoHo or LKF?: LKF probably, can't find a reason though

Drop or Mes Amis?: Mes Amis because you can pretty much get away with anything in that place

Skiing or diving?: Diving, I'm more of a beach boy

Reading or music?: Music

Paris Hilton or Scarlett Johansen?: Scarlett Johansen, I wouldn't date a girl who is taller than me!

Meet the new lads #2 - Adam Raby

Name: Adam Raby

Age: 21

Occupation : unemployed advertiser! (so if anyone can help me that would be great)

Nationality: British

Rugby position: Fly Half, Wing, Full Back

Previous rugby clubs: Worth School, St Bede's School, University of Lincoln, Lincoln RFU

Favourite things about HKFC rugby: The people and the standard of rugby (don't suck up...)

One thing you would change/introduce: Nothing I've played at a poor standard all my life so this is perfect!

Most embarrassing rugby experience: Either trying to take a drop kick from the half way line for Drags or rugby initiation

SoHo or LKF? LKF - more beer, better bars

Drop or Mes Amis? mmmm Drop... I got kicked out of Mes Amis once, so...

Skiing or diving? Diving - much more fun...

Reading or music? Music - captures the feelings more

Paris Hilton or Scarlett Johansen? Scarlett Johansen - Paris is too stupid!

Sound familiar?

Not a huge RL fan, but I thought some of our Kiwi cousins might appreciate this. Quite frankly, my first thought was "don't be a sook, it's over." If Chalmers would like a shoulder to cry on, I suggest he calls Brian O'Driscoll and Clive Woodward.

Harps


Kiwis enraged by Burgess decision (BBC Sport)

New Zealand have reacted furiously after Great Britain prop Sam Burgess escaped punishment for a high tackle on Fuifui Moimoi in the first Test.
Burgess was placed on report for the incident, but a three-man panel cleared him - by a 2-1 vote - to play in the second Test on Saturday.
"This just leaves me gobsmacked," said New Zealand Rugby League chairman Andrew Chalmers.
"They seem intent on treating us like a bunch of natives from the colonies."
The 18-year-old Burgess scored a try on his debut as the Lions won the first Test 20-14.
606: DEBATE
Referee Tony Archer put Burgess on report for a clear high tackle on Moimoi in the second half at Huddersfield, but the video review panel, which included a New Zealander, decided to take no action.
The decision has aggravated New Zealand, who already felt a sense of injustice after Burgess' fellow Great Britain prop Adrian Morley also avoided disciplinary action for a high tackle on Awen Guttenbeil during the Northern Union's match against the All Golds.
"It's dejà vu," said Chalmers, who sat in on the hearing as an observer.
"It was an appalling set-up job to let Morley free last week.
"These people show a flagrant disregard for their own rules or they just simply opt to use them or discard them as and when it suits them.
"With this current system in place, the numbers will always be stacked against us Kiwis."
Moimoi sat out training after the clash with Burgess and is on painkillers after sustaining neck and jaw injuries. But Kiwi coach Gary Kemble is certain he will be fit for the second Test.
For him to miss a game would have been unjust GB boss Tony Smith
A delighted Burgess said he was happy to be in the clear, admitting: "It's definitely a relief.
"I would have been heartbroken to miss the Test.
"I have a few things I need to work on in my defensive technique, no more high shots."
Great Britain coach Tony Smith was also relieved that the Bradford forward will not miss the second in the three-match Test series.
"It's great to have him available," said Smith. "He did some good stuff last week for us.
"The incident such as Sam's the other day, which was accidental rather than deliberate, may have warranted 10 minutes in the sin-bin and then it's done and dusted.
"For him to miss a game would have been unjust because it's a third of the whole series. That is like suspending someone from the normal competition for nine games."
Burgess, who is now expected to win his second cap at the KC Stadium, was the youngest player to make his Great Britain debut since Andy Farrell in 1993 and emulated the Wigan great by scoring a try.

Meet the New Lads #1

Afternoon

You've seen them around, you probably bought them drinks before their membership cards arrived, but you might not know much about them. Allow the Blog to present everything you need to know about this season's new lads, starting with Jared Smith.

Name: Jared Smith
Age: 25
Occupation: Solicitor
Nationality: British - born in Hong Kong (Did you know that Q? My goodness, he's AQ)
Position: Open-side
Previous rugby clubs: Cambridge University, Haywards Heath, Nottingham Moderns, Old Haberdashs' among others
Favourite things about HKFC rugby: Bundy and coke
One thing you would change or introduce: cheerleaders at games
SoHo or LKF? LKF - you always have to have vodka jelly close to hand in case of emergency
Drop or Mes Amis? Mes Amis - trying to avoid detection for getting free drinks on from the girls on ladies night keeps you on your toes
Skiing or diving? skiing - have you ever heard of apres-dive?
Reading or music? music - you cant make shapes to books
Paris Hilton or Scarlett Johansen? Scarlett - its all in the lips....

Club pass stern test from Kowloon

CBRE Club 22-16 In Projects Kowloon

There was a tremendous sense of anticipation around the Club before this one. Kowloon have powered up their side, bringing in quality imported players in key positions. And they were up for this one. Every opponent so far this year has wanted to claim as their scalp the end of Club's unbeaten record, but I think Kowloon really believed they could do it. And, in the final analysis, Fred Moe's side weren't far away at all. This was perhaps the challenge and the scare Club needed, although they should take pride in having still managed to extending their unbeaten record while going through this.

At the beginning of the game, it was business as usual. A strong scrum from the Club pack, admirably fronted by Spizziri, Cameron and Hobler, allows Kibble to get the ball going forward, wrong-foot his markers and then feed the ball to Rouse, who charges over after delivering an emphatic hand-off to his would-be tackler. Kowloon answered with a penalty, but when Peter McKee darted over for a converted try in the 19th minute, nerves settled and the spectators settled back to sup their pints and see another side put to the sword by this season's resurgent Club.

Not so. It would be harsh to say Club dropped their intensity, but Kowloon certainly found their resolve at this point. It wasn't pretty, but it worked surprisingly quickly. Their big forwards crashed up brutally straightforward ball with little pace but a lot of power and they soon created enough space to score their first try, taking the score to 12-10 Club. After that, Kowloon dominated possession for the second half of the first half. Club's tackling became poorer after long periods of hauling down Kowloon's big men and defensive rucks and mauls and, when Club had the ball, their handling, passing and ball retention in the ruck often let them down. Another penalty to Kowloon and Club went into half time behind their opponents for the first time this season.

Skipper Tom Cameron told his troops at half time that they would need to be even more committed, aggressive and plain dogged to lift themselves to victory in the second half of a physical, messy and fired-up game. Australians have one word that encapsulates the attitude perfectly: mongrel. And Club did indeed tap their reserves of grit and meanness in the second half. Once again, it wasn't pretty. But Club raised the intensity, matched Kowloon blow for blow, and claimed their reward when Hussey capitalised on some confused defending to score in the 9th minute. Then Kibble capped an outstanding performance at outside with a lovely break to score and extend Club's lead to 22-13. Despite a robust performance in all other respects, Mike McKee endured a disappointing day with the boot by his standards and handed over goalkicking duties to Pat Fordham after he failed to convert Kibble's try. Kowloon pressed hard right to the end, kicking another penalty to put them within a converted try of victory, but Club's will to win was too strong and they hung on to emerge, ultimately, as worthy victors.

The match was also marked by the sad sight of 'Junior' Naylor being carried off with a torn hamstring, the amusing one of Richard Rouse standing his ground as two knuckle-dragging forwards marched menacingly towards him with murder in mind after an altercation at a ruck, and the bizarre one of Rory Hussey being yellow-carded twice in the second half for lying on the ball. Me, sir? Never...

Harps

Drags smash Aberdeen at SKP

From Drags Team Manager, Murray Sargant

HKFC Dragons 51-7 HKCC

An outstanding result on the weekend against Aberdeen.

This weekend was not looking all that great for us as CJ and I worked hard on pulling the team together all week. Firstly on Thursday night Grewers hurt his neck and was not up to playing and secondly on game day itself Robin pulled up lame with a nagging calf strain. Luckily for Drags we called on Phil Reid and Shoey to fill the gaps and they didn’t disappoint. Unfortunately that did leave us with one reserve for the game itself but luckily it was super sub David Gutherie.

It became apparent early on that our pack was in a dominant frame of mind and the front row of Babis, Kim and Harper made sure that the Aberdeen scrum was going to have a long day in the office. We turned over at least four of their feeds and on our put in we were rock solid. This meant that we had heaps of procession and the result was some excellent pressure leading to the first try from Callum in left hand corner.

After that it was the turn of the Drags lineout to have a go. They didn’t disappoint with Tim jumping at 2 and Corks at 4 we dominated the air and made every lineout competitive. Plenty of quality ball for Phil Reid to distribute and the backline which didn’t disappoint. Raby was in confident form and looked dangerous every time he touched the ball. Two great tries from out wide and Aberdeen even with their star centre from the 1st were on the rack. Raby then did a Wilkinson and had an unsuccessful attempted at drop goal from just inside the halfway line. Won’t repeat what CJ thought of this use of the ball but you cant hold back the confidence of youth. He then went onto score three tries and set up a fourth so CJ felt all was forgiven. Stobart take note if you miss a drop goal you better score three tries.

Going into the half we felt comfortable and that resulted in our only lapse of the game. We were throwing the ball around from side to side and sure enough one of our passes got intercepted. The backs then recovered well bringing the Aberdeen centre down on the 22 meter line. However with quick ball and some fast rucks Aberdeen eventually got the ball back to their large centre who went over from close range. The resulting try and conversion really got Drags fired up and that meant more trouble for Aberdeen for the remaining second half.

The backs then really opened up with a second try to Callum on the wing. This was the try of the day as Callum raced down the right touch line Aberdeen seemed to have him covered. A little extra gas from Callum and a nice step made the Aberdeen defence hesitate and then the fullback went high. Callum brushed him off and managed to stay well inside the touch line for great solo try. The rest of the afternoon had Andy Yip get on the score board with two touch downs and also another for Raby and one each for Ramsey and Shannon finished off the 9 try wrought. The only negative was that Corkery got nailed in the ribs from a very hard hit in one of our many attacking moves. The result was three broken ribs and a painful end of the game for Corks. He is fine although he will need the next few weeks to get his ribs back in shape. I can confirm that straight after the hit and while he couldn’t breath his first words were “ I want to punch that fucker” Summed up the spirit in the team that day with everyone giving 110%.

By far the strongest game of the year from Drags despite not having a bench sorry David as you did get a run so we ended the game with no bench. The fact we never let up and kept scoring and putting the pressure on was excellent. We had starring performances right across the park with Raby leading the try count, Peyton and Shannon driving up the middle, Edgar and Corks in the air but the Man of the Match as voted by CJ and Ramsey as Captain was Phil Reid. Phil played a fantastic solid game in attack and was the fourth member of the backrow cleaning up any forwards that wanted to run in his direction. A great performance from him, a very worthy winner in what was a great day for Drags.

Well done to the entire team. A Superb effort.

HKFC Dragons v HKCC
Saturday 27 August, 3.00pm, SKP


1. Adam Harper
2. Kim Cau
3. Damien Babis
4. Peyton Burnett
5. Ramsey Carter(C) (try)
6. Shannon Ford (try)
7. Andrew Corkery
8. Tim Edgar

9. Phil Reid
10. Ben Harris
11. Adam Raby (3 tries)
12. Simon Shoebridge
13. Andy Yip (2 tries)
14. Callum Nieto (2 tries)
15. Ed Cosgrove

Replacement: David Gutherie

In Glorious Technicolour

Above: Gus demonstrates his sporting nature by turning his back to the opposition and offering them the ball. A fat bloke attempts to assist. (Picture: Brian van Langenberg)

Above: Nice shot of life at the coal face. Note the look of concentration on Tim Edgar's face; he's seen the ball at the DEA 8's feet and is preparing to fling himself at their No. 10 in the manner of Lewis 'Mad Dog' Moody. The Club backs are up nice and flat. (Picture: Brian van Langenberg)

ANYWAY, there you go. It's great to finally get some photos of us on the blog. These were kindly provided by Tim Edgar's friend, which is why they are a bit Edgar-centric. I really want lots more photos - they make this blog so much more interesting than my usual waffle. Please send 'em to me at adam.harper@asia.ing.com and I will publish the b*ggers, every one.

More to come ahead of tomorrow's games...

Harps

The Boks are Back; the Blog is Back

Allow me to start off by congratulating South Africa on their historic achievement in winning a second world cup. So much has been said about the final already that I don't propose to add to it beyond saying that the most complete, tactically astute and determined team in the tournament won it and they deserve massive credit. Nearly two months of 3am kick-offs and amusing rugby emails have left me mentally weak, as Stobart might say, but I can in all seriousness hardly wait for RWC 2011 in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Mr James Cook was even talking about organising a HKFC tour. God help us if the ABs don't win.

Back to Hong Kong, centre of the known universe. My blogging blockage of late has been largely caused by the massively time-consuming business of entertaining one set of parents in HK; I even resorted to making my Dad referee a tense encounter between Valley and Kowloon in Division 5 to keep him occupied. But here I am, back at the keyboard, with apologies for the hiatus.

Last weekend's fixture list was curtailed because of byes for Scorps and for the Drags, who were meant to be playing the PLA but were informed that the Chinese army boys couldn't make it because they were planning an invasion (or couldn't get visas, whichever). Club played DEA Tigers at HKFC, Select played Valley and I think I am right in saying that Bulls rather sadly broke their winning streak with a shock loss against those old bruisers from Police. We can satisfy the rugby world's curiosity concerning these games if Centurion Cooper and Mr Riordan would like to let me have details.

CBRE Club 22-10 DEA TIGERS

I am happy to report, however, that Club marched on, stretching this season's unbeaten record for another week in the face of a stiff challenge from DEA. As Coach Quinton Wrigley predicted, Club's fitness was key, allowing them to outlast DEA's intense initial challenge and go on to control the game. Club managed some lovely interplay in attack between backs and forwards, with James Kibble, Richard Rouse, Rob Mills and Rory Hussey standing out, but the victory was built on a bedrock of aggressive defence and solid set-piece play. With several key players - including prop Pete Spizzirri, lock Tim Griffin , flanker Kris Maren and Captain Nigel D'Acre - missing, Club did well to keep their shape and impose themselves against tough opposition. Captain for the day Andrew Chambers said afterwards that Club had showed some real 'mongrel,' as Aussies like to say.

Hussey, Rouse and newcomer Pat Foreman crossed for Club's three tries, while Mike McKee kicked two conversions and a penalty. Club were perhaps unlucky not to cross again for a fourth try and a bonus point, as notable Valley-lover and Club-critic Alvin Sallay was kind enough to point out in the Sunday Morning Post, but they will be happy to remain the only unbeaten team in Dvision One ahead of next Saturday's clash with Kowloon.

CBRE Club v DEA TIGERS
Saturday 20 October 2007, 6.00pm, HKFC

1. Adam Harper
2. Tom Cameron
3. Nigel Hobler
4. Angus Washington
5. Steve Matthew
6. Tim Edgar
7. Rory Hussey
8. Rob Mills

9. Peter McKee
10. James Kibble
11. Dan Parr
12. Richard Rouse
13. Pat Foreman
14. Andrew Chambers
15. Mike McKee

Replacements

Damian Babis, Laurence Denvir, Ben Stobart, Tim Robinson, Rob Naylor, Adam Raby, Sean Byrne

The other Le Crunch for Club, Derby Day for Drags, Scorps, Select, Sequins

Morning all

Barely has there been a week to draw breath after last weekend's tumultous rugby, both international and local, but Saturday is upon us again. Quite apart from Le Crunch de Tout les Crunches in Paris, there will be some pretty big bust-ups in our own back yard.

Club take on last year's league champions (but not grand champions), HKCC at home. Having come within an ace of beating them last season, the Club boys will be keen to prove their victory against Valley last weekend was not a one-off and that they can cut it with Div 1's top teams, week in, week out. This one kicks off at 6.00pm.

Then there are the HKFC derbies, Drags v Scorps at 3.15pm, HKFC, and Select v Sequins, 1.45pm, HKFC. Traditionally, these have often been more like pitched battles, with both teams coming out fired up to distraction at the prospect of putting one over a guy who they normally stand next to at the bar. I remember asking myself what the hell I'd got into after the first Drags v Scorps derby I was involved in, which must have been in 2004. After the second one, where Drags narrowly edged out a good Scorps side for a playoff place, we were all walking off spent and broken and I saw Jim Rowark (then Drags coach) chuckling on the sidelines. "That was good boys," he said. "But nothing like rugby."

There have also been some momentous Scorps v Select derbies over the last couple of years. Select's tactics tended to involve coming out breathing fire and brimstone and smashing everything in sight for the first 20 minutes, with big runners coming at you hard off every ruck. They'd rattle the Scorps, the 'crowd' would get behind them and their blood would be up like a pack of hounds hitting the scent - of an upset. Normally Scorps would be able to withstand the initial tempest, keep their shape, regroup, and stretch away to victory as Select tired in the second half. Not always. Who can forget Select's performance of 'Father Abraham' and collective leap into the swimming pool after they beat Scorps in the 2005/06 season? Upsets do happen, as if you didn't know that after following this world cup.

The culture is a little different these days. People move between teams - especially Drags and Scorps - like they cross the border at Lo Wu. In the past, there would have been a tight Scorps unit of people who regularly played together itching to put one over Drags tomorrow. But now, the team bears little resemblance to the one that beat Valley last weekend. Maybe we are more collegiate these days, and the 'clubs within clubs' thing has died a death (I would possibly exclude Select and Sequins here). If so, maybe that's all for the best, although it could make these derbies less interesting.

Many used to bemoan the fact that so much energy, emotion and needle went into the internal games, which could have been saved for Valley or Aberdeen instead. They have a point. But there is always something special about playing your mates from the Club. Maybe this does turn us in on ourselves somewhat. But I don't think any experience of playing in tough, close games can be bad for you (as England know to their benefit and New Zealand to their cost).

Over to you. What do you think? Internal games - a Good Thing or a Bad Thing?

Harps

FIXTURES

G4S League Week 3
Saturday 13th October

Division 1
Crown Valley v Generali Causeway Bay Rams 6.00pm SKP
InProjects Kowloon v DeA Tigers 6.00pm KP-1
CBRE Club v Synovate HKCC 6.00pm HKFC

Division 2
Crown Valley Knights v Laxton PLA 3.00pm HV
CBRE Club Scorps v CBRE Club Drags 3.15pm HKFC

Division 3
CBRE Club Select v CBRE Club Sequins 1.45pm HKFC
InProjects Kowloon Pussies v DeA II 4.30pm KP-1
Police v University 4.30pm PBS
SJM Macau v Rouse & Co Intl Typhoons Macau?
Crown Valley Mustangs - bye

Division 4
City v Synovate HKCC/Abdn II 6.00pm HV
Gai Wu J v Tanner De Witt Nomads 6.00pm THT
Generali CWB Pirates v Crown Valley Broncos 3.15pm SKP
DeA III - bye

Division 5
inProjects Kowloon Beavers v CBRE Club Bulls 3.00pm KP-1
Police Panthers v University-HKU 3.15pm PBS
Crown Valley Griffins v Allianz TPD 1.45pm HV

A Sporting Gesture from Lawrence Dallaglio

When Andrew Flintoff commisserated with Brett Lee after England won the close test at Edgbaston in 2005, it became an iconic image of sporting nobility and brotherhood. I doubt this will...

Australia, New Zealand, Valley tumble in rugby's day of reckoning

My apologies for the radio silence so far this week. Work is so inconvenient.

Well, that was quite a weekend. But never mind those two, or frankly four, momentous world cup quarter finals. There was something of a shake-up of the earth's foundations in Hong Kong as well. Yes, Club and Scorps added to the Drags' achievement the previous weekend and put the Auld Enemy Valley to the sword in their own backyard.

Scorps set the tone with a rousing victory in a remarkable Division 2 clash starting at 4.30pm. Valley came out with all the grunt and aggression you might expect and had stretched ahead to a lead of 22-7 at half time. But the Scorps rolled their sleeves up and got stuck into the Valley forwards in particular with real intention. The red ones scored on a rather lucky break after a period of extended Scorps pressure but it was not long before they opened their account with a charge-down try - the deserved result of a lot of hard work. After that, the run chase was on and Scorps began to dictate the pattern of the game. Perhaps Scorps also set the tone for a memorable England performance later on - their dominance in the scrum became absolute, although the same could not necessarily be said for the line-out.

Among many fine performances in the forwards, newcomer Jared Smith was rightly singled out as man of the match after working tirelessly to drive the Scorps forward and adding to the score sheet in the second half. The openside was rewarded by being allowed to drag the esky back to the club after the game.

At the death, the Scorps mounted wave after wave of assaults on the Valley line. Dave Beckett's first is disallowed because the ball was touched down on a Scorps boot. B*gger. Five metre scrum to Valley. Momentous, controlled shove by the Scorps, inching the desperate Valley pack backwards over their own try line, step by step. Phil Reid falls on the ball. A try, surely? Alas, the referee has not seen it and calls another scrum, which signals the last play of the game. This time Valley disrupt the Scorps' shove, but possession is secured and the ball whipped out into the backs, where Colin Begg catches his opposite number on the back foot and scampers over. A conversion follows and Scorps emerge, amazingly , as 28-22 winners. A dazed and demoralised Valley team trudge off the field in disbelief. “Revenge of the 20-21 defeat to Valley at HKFC from the 2004/05 season has been a long time coming,” said Scorps Manager Giles Disney. As someone who remembers that game and played in this one, I couldn't agree more.

So, are HKFC teams no longer the soft touch, the purveyors of fluffy white towels and free drinks for opponents? Are we no longer rolling over to have our tummies tickled? Are we rediscovering the mythical mongrel within, the never-say-die spirit, the ability to win games that we apparently shouldn't win? We'll see, but I blo*dy hope so.

There was no shortage of bulldog spirit for Club, who showed enormous strength of character to overcome a very motivated Valley team 27-16 in the stygian gloom that exists under Valley's lights. The forwards were tighter at the breakdown than the previous week and their mature, disciplined performance gave Club its platform for victory. "A very solid win by CBRE Club based on a solid foundation set by the forwards finished by some enterprising play from a classy backline," opined James Cook, Club Manager.

Nigel D'Acre was at his very best for Club, running superb lines to touch down twice, while Peter McKee and Tom Cameron also crossed the line. Mike McKee and Colin Begg added with the boot.

This has been a fantastic start to the season by pretty much the whole section with one team - Bulls - unbeaten in all comptetions so far. There is tight competition for places in many areas across Club, Drags and Scorps, which promises a high level of motivation going forward. If you want to see evidence of this, I would suggest that next Saturday's Drags v Scorps encounter will be essential viewing.

Harps

Drags March On, Overpower Aberdeen

From Murray Sargant

HKFC October 6th

HKFC Dragons Vs HKCC Aberdeen – KO 3:00pm.

Dragons 26 - Aberdeen 5.

Week 2.


In the heat of the day we took on arch rivals Aberdeen. Still the team was very upbeat and positive still pleased with the previous weeks work and the victory against Valley the week before. Aberdeen however proved to be much more aggressive in defence and our fleet footed backs didn’t get the space they enjoyed the week before. None the less we started off strong right from the kick off with Robin gathering and making 20 meters straight up the middle. The forwards once again lead the way and early on we looked to dominate the Aberdeen scrum. The ref seemed pretty whistle happy and the game started to resemble Wanchai in rush hour. Many stoppages and no one getting anywhere fast. This set the scene really for the rest of the game. Penalty, Scrum, Penalty, Scrum and all this in bright sunshine and 32 C .

Eventually we managed to string a couple of passes together and Callum opened up the scoring in the 15 min mark with a great backline passing sequence ending up on the far right touch line. He finished well and touched down for the opening try. Next over just before the break was Matt James and once again a great solo effort on the left wing when he changed direction and came back in on the inside. His step worked well and the Aberdeen backs didn’t lay a hand on him.

At the break everyone was feeling the heat and the referee continued to find every technical rule in the book and used it. Marc was happy with the way things were going on the score board but with the error rate climbing and our passes starting to look a little ragged we all knew we could do better. The second half opened and for some reason no one seemed to switch on. Aberdeen against the run of play kicked off and scored a quick try. Not the start the boys wanted. Captain Carter launched a salvo at the boys and that seemed to do the trick. With the Aberdeen conversion going wide it was back to business. The forwards pressured well and we found ourselves well camped in their half of the field.

Next over was Andy Yip with great dummy opening up the space he needed to dot down under the posts. With both teams now struggling the heat was really taking its toll. Aberdeen seemed short of reserves and when our fresh legs came on Drags lifted. The pressure was once again on the Aberdeen defence and Junior decided to take advantage. Looking to off load but instead straightening up well be burst through the line and the Aberdeen defence was once again exposed.

All in all we got the four tries and a bonus point but the guys felt a little disappointed with the level of play and they all know they can do better. Line outs need some urgent work this week at training and everyone felt they had some area of their own game that could be improved. On a positive closing note Drags now have two wins from two starts and arguably against two of the better teams in the division. A great way to start the season and positive in that we know we can play better.

I final note of congratulations to England for a great win against Australia. Not the result this antipodean wanted to see but well deserved.

Muzza
Manager Drags.

More real time news...last Saturday's Club game...Club 34-0 CWB Rams

Sorry this has taken so long. I have had some stern words with the managers this week, I can tell you, and after they finished sobbing, they all promised to furnsih me with the essential info in a more timely fashion. Of course, I could always make notes myself when watching games...

Anyhow...

Club began their 2007-08 campaign with a convincing win against an aggressive CWB, albeit in a scrappy and rather bad-tempered encounter. Despite Club's dominance in the set pieces and in the backline, they failed to counter CWB's efforts (legal and otherwise, mainly otherwise) to disrupt ruck ball and generally break up the pattern of Club's play. You can put this down to early season rustiness, but Coach Quinton Wrigley will be aware that the team will need to tighten up these areas and achieve momentum through secure, quick and clean ruck ball if Club are to overcome Division One's big guns and emerge victorious this season.

The McKee brothers, Peter and Mike, made their debuts at scrum half and full back and added to Club's points haul with a try and two conversions respectively. Callum Nieto, at wing, and Tim Edgar, at openside, also made their first starts for a new-look Club side and touched down for scores. Club's three other scores were provided by Ben Michael and prolific veterans Rob Naylor and Nigel D'Acre. It was also interesting to see Club solving its problem of a superfluity of scum-halves by playing Junior in the centres and Kibble at 10.

We also welcome Hunter from CAU and Tim Griffin to the Club.

Club play Valley today in what will unquestionably be a sterner test. More of that to come...

For the record...

CBRE Club v Causeway Bay Rams
29 September 2007, HKFC

1. Peter Spizzirri
2. Tom Cameron
3. Nigel Hobler
4. Angus Washington
5. Rob Jones
6. Tim Griffin (Sin Bin - punching)
7. Tim Edgar (Try, 29 min)
8. Ben Michael (Try, 80min)

9. Peter McKee (Try 13min)
10. James Kibble
11. Callum Nieto (Try, 24min)
12. Rob Naylor (Junior) (Try, 7min)
13. Nigel D'Acre (Try, 54 min)
14. Andrew Chambers
15. Mike McKee (2 conversions)


Half-time 24-0
Full-time 34-0

Replacements:

Duncan Robertson
Ramsay Carter
Hunter
Simon Shoebridge
Geoff Lam
Robin Bredbury
Tim Robinson

Dragons 31-0 Valley Knights

There's nothing like real time news, is there? Just wanted to get this up before next weekend as a matter of record. As I saw it from the sidelines, beer in hand, this was an impressive first outing from the Drags, who played some muscular forwards' rugby and, blessedly, kept the game nice and simple. They worked hard in the blazing sun and thoroughly deserved this emphatic win over the auld enemy. One touchdown each from Ramsay Carter and Richard "Am I a forward? Am I a back?" Rouse, while the artful Matt James scored two, including one mesmerising run past pretty much the whole Valley team. Did I mention Ben "Joel Stransky" Stobart's drop goal? Probably no need. And it was great to see lithe and lissom JP back on the park.

1. Richard Gallagher
2. Duncan Robertson
3. Damien Babis
4. Ramsey Carter
5. Peyton Burnett
6. Richard Rouse
7. Robin Bredbury
8. Ben Stobart
9. Phil Reid
10. Colin Begg
11. Adam Woolliscroft
12. Tim Robinson
13. Simon Shoebridge
14. Geoff Lam
15. Matt James

Replacements

Duncan Grewers
Romain Perret
John Parker
Richard Guest

Empty Vessels Make the Most Noise

This is the most wry and amusing commentary I have read on the verbals in the run-up to Saturday's Australia v England QF (thanks to the UK Telegraph once again). As for Le Francais, I hear Laporte has banned his players from calling the All Blacks the All Blacks, in an effort to de-mystify them and deny them the AB aura. Apparently Woodward did this in 2003. Clearly what matters is the team you field against the ABs, not what you call them.

In other news, I was prevailed upon to make a sporting bet on the outcome of these QFs last night. I'm normally a sucker for betting with heart rather than head and have lost so many matchsticks (cash gambling is illegal in Hong Kong, dontcha know) at spread betting to Callum Nieto over the years that it's not funny. But this time I found a way to use head and heart, in what will hopefully amount to the closest thing to a perfect hedge outside of a Japanese garden. Having been ridiculed by a Welshman for refusing to accept odds of 2-1 on an England victory over Australia (hardly good value, was it?), I eventually said I'd take it if he would take odds of 2-1 from me on the French beating the ABs. Fair enough. Let's just hope the upset doesn't happen in the wrong game. Or I'll be down a lot of matchsticks...


Jonny Wilkinson should put the boot inBy Martin Johnson
Last Updated: 12:52am BST 05/10/2007
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If there was a time when Andy Robinson began to wonder whether coaching England was pushing him closer to dribbling down a bib and waiting for a private nurse to give him his next injection, it was when he found himself uttering the following words. "The thing about England," said Andy, "is that everyone wants to beat us."
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No wonder the job was too much for him. How can you expect to be successful when you're being so ruthlessly targeted? It's an international scandal of outrageous proportions, and unless those beastly Australians can offer an unequivocal assurance that beating the mother country in tomorrow's quarter-final would be a happy accident, as opposed to a cunning plan, they should be thrown out of the World Cup with immediate effect.

We all know, of course, what Robinson was getting at. Max Boyce can commission an entire new album on the back of Wales beating England, and the Scots wind themselves up into such an emotional state when it comes to the auld enemy, you'd think it was an English Act of Parliament which forced them to wear skirts and make a noise like a tom cat with its tail caught in a mangle by blowing into a bag of butcher's offal.
And now we have the Australian Rugby Union's chief executive, John O'Neill, saying: "It doesn't matter whether it's cricket, rugby union, rugby league, we all hate England." It's all historical, and even the Tongans – purely on the basis that Captain Cook once popped in to pinch a few of their coconuts to keep the scurvy at bay on his way home from the colonies – looked ready to disembowel Martin Corry's men during their pre-match haka.
To adapt a line from Monty Python's Life Of Brian, we should ask the Australians: "What have the English ever done for you?" We have allowed them to keep drinking tasteless beer at sub-zero temperatures, turned a blind eye to middle-aged men wandering the streets wearing short trousers and long socks, and resisted calls for the death penalty for exporting such products – in direct contravention of all human rights conventions – as Neighbours.
In fact, when it comes to failing to appreciate just how much the English have done for them, Australia positively oozes ingratitude. They wouldn't have a country at all had we not got them started with free ocean cruise travel, including the provision of ankle straps in stormy weather, and gourmet dining with unlimited weevil biscuits at the captain's table. And all (long before being asked to cough up 10 quid) for nothing more than being asked to pop along to Bow Street Magistrates Court and say: "Guilty, your worships."
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So what is it exactly that inspires this tradition of loathing the Poms? It doesn't happen in reverse, and if some of us have had to fight off an uncontrollable urge to trash the television set when confronted by Rolf Harris warbling: "Jake The Peg With His Extra Leg", it doesn't mean to say that we hate all Australians.
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Nothing sums up Australians' irrational desire to put one over on the English than the 2005 Ashes cricket series which, just in case we have to remind them, they lost. For some reason they then spent the next two years plotting a revenge so terrible that they even took themselves off to a military-style boot camp, where, judging from the subsequent on-field exchanges, they also learned some military-style language.
My, how they guffawed when our leading fast bowler opened hostilities by propelling his first delivery straight to second slip, and they didn't stop until they'd pummelled the English into a 5-0 humiliation. So we can rest assured that Jonny Wilkinson's dropped goal in the 2003 World Cup final has been eating away at them for four long years.
In the entire field of international sport, no one does gloating quite like the Australians, neither does any other country have the same fabled capacity for pretending defeat never happened. If they stuff the Poms tomorrow, there will be fireworks displays off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but if they lose, you'll need to look for the score in the Sydney Morning Herald (with a magnifying glass) just below the greyhound results.
If the finest sight of the 2003 final was Wilkinson propelling that final drop-kick over the posts, not far behind was the Australian Prime Minister handing out the winners' medals with an expression suggesting that he was suffering from a chronic bout of haemorrhoids.
There is, on all known form coming into this game, not much chance of an English victory, but they said that before Agincourt as well. So 'Cry God for Jonny, England and St George'. What a joy it would be for England to play really badly, but for the Wilkinson boot to pull it off again (preferably after the referee has missed a blatant England knock-on) in the dying seconds. Bring it on. And may the best team lose.

So it begins!

I love this stuff. You get it every time England play Australia. It's only going to get better in the run up to Saturday....

Full Club and Drags writeups to come, sorry for the delay. Also, could Messrs Reardon, Boggis and Cooper (should they ever grace these pages) also let me have some match write-ups including (ideally) the final score, a quick report, team lists, names of scorers and some photos. This website is criminally short of photos at the moment, mainly because I can't upload them from work.

Anyway, back to the banter (stolen from the Telegraph again):

As if Saturday's quarter-final in Marseille didn't need any more stoking up, Aussie rugby chief John O'Neill has been at it again. Asked whether he stood by comments he made last week about the world "hating" England, O'Neill said: "All I'm doing is stating the bleeding obvious. If they want further proof, how do they think France won the right to host this World Cup? It is simple. No one would vote for England, and they were the only other country in the running. Sadly, this is all a by-product of their born-to-rule mentality. It's been there for a long time now and nothing has changed." Get you! If nothing else, it gave England lock Ben Kay reason to laugh. "It comes with the rivalry we've got with Australia, it's an intense sporting rivalry," Kay said. "These matches are fun to play in because of that, so it's just a bit of paper talk that you guys (the press) probably get more excited about than us. We all think it's quite funny really." Captain Martin Corry had a warning for O'Neill and his boys. "By the time the weekend comes around there will also be thousands of Englishmen on hand to cheer our every move," said Coz. "The centre of Marseille around the Vieux Port is much more compact than Paris and by kick-off it will feel just like a home fixture." Just like Sydney in November 2003! Corry, no doubt, has been given added reason to be cheerful with the news that Jason Robinson is back in training and will be available this weekend. Having lost number eight David Lyons to a broken leg, and without fly-half Stephen Larkham, the Wallabies were relieved that captain Stirling Mortlock said he would be fit after a shoulder dislocation. "It's only slightly dislocated," he said. Slightly! "OK. Listen. I just really want to play against England. I think we can play better rugby than we have so far. Quarter-finals are sudden-death rugby. And that is what it is all about in a World Cup. I want to be there for this one."