No more worlds to conquer?

Short and Sweet Message from Tony George, Club Captain

Select managed to clinch the Third Division on Saturday. They beat Police 37-10, securing the bonus point necessary to put Valley Mustangs under pressure. Sure enough, they couldn't manage enough points against Kowloon Pussies, so Select take the title on points difference.

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So that's it then (this is Harps again, by the way, although you had surely already noticed the improvement in style). HKFC completes what is believed to be an unprecedented clean sweep of Divisions One, Two and Three. As our esteemed Captain pointed out, his first season at the helm "could have gone worse." Now that it's happened, there is a certain sense of inevitability about this tremendous achievement - it now seems that anything less would simply have been disappointing. And, of course, in a sense, it would have been. HKFC has been blessed this year with a large pool of committed, talented players across all divisions: if we had not brought that strength to bear, we could justifiably regarded it as a failure.

I think that's the burden of "big" teams everywhere, whether that means the All Blacks on the international stage, or the club with the best player resources and facilities in an amateur league. And we've seen how the expectation cripples the ABs when it matters, and how all of their talent, all of their resources and all of the support they have from a rugby-mad nation is not quite enough when they are confronted by, if I may, more committed, more cohesive teams in knockout situations.

I'm not here to knock the ABs (although it does have its pleasures), but - on a much more modest scale - Club have often been victims of a similar dynamic in the past. As the team with the biggest player group, the best facilities and the highest expectation levels, they have been outfaced by teams from smaller clubs playing with more hunger, more togetherness and the enormous motivation of beating The Establishment. Not so any more. Club have taken the enormous step forward of combining their historic strengths with a new intensity and drive. The coaching staff and all the players can take enormous credit for that, and the rest of Hong Kong rugby should be afraid.

In a fever of excitement, the great darts commentator Sid Waddell once said of the-then young darts champion Eric Bristow: "When Alexander of Macedonia was 33 he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer - Bristow is only 27." Like Bristow at that time, a mainly young Club team have carried all before them in Hong Kong. So what next?

Well, first and foremost, there is a knockout cup final to be played against HKCC at King's Park on Saturday. There is a point to prove here: HKCC have beaten Club 2-1 in three matches this season, although one of Aberdeen's victories was later overturned because of an improperly registered player. Club have an opportunity to (i) set the record straight against HKCC and (ii) wrap up the knockout cup in addition to the league championship. And this should not be missed.

In the long term, it will be critical that Club does not sit back and bask in the reflected glory of 2007-08 for more than a few weeks. Otherwise they risk falling into the trap that claimed England after they won the RWC in 2003. Great teams do not win one-off championships - they dominate for a generation, or a generation's sporting equivalent.

The season is not over for Dragons either: they must face Division One side Causeway Bay on Saturday. It is unquestionably within Drags' power to beat CWB, who struggled badly in Division One this season, and go on to a "glory" final against Kowloon (providing they beat PLA). The structure of this knockout competition makes it a hiding to nothing for the teams from the higher division: win and no-one is impressed; lose and it's embarrassing. But for the teams playing up, it's a real chance to make a point. Drags can do this, and argue their Division One credentials to the powers that be.

All the best for now
Harps

Club finish the task for 2007

CBRE Club 16 - 8 InProjects Kowloon

In the sunshine at So Kon Po, with 30,000 evangelical Christians singing in the stadium close by, Club saw off a concerted challenge from Kowloon to get into the Christmas break well ahead at the top of the Division One table with just one loss in eight games. Getting this result in the bag was critical for coach Quinton Wrigley and his team, even if the performance was once again a little on the scrappy side. After losing to HKCC, Club have rediscovered their ability to tough out victories when they are not playing at anything like their potential. The task after Christmas will be to achieve (to paraphrase Q) better execution of their gameplan.

Too often on Saturday, Club were dragged into a chaotic, harum-scarum game that suited Kowloon far better. What was required was a tight performance, with a strong Club back dominating in their opponents' 22 and Pat Foreman kicking for field position. Unfortunately, Club looked nervy and overly tense, making a large number of unforced errors, failing to secure their own possession and conceding vast numbers of penalties. When they did get the ball, apart from a 10 minute spell of good phase play in the Kowloon half, they too often threw the ball around in a style that might have been better suited to this weekend's sevens tournament than a must-win league game.

In fairness to Club, they were the only team trying to play rugby in this game. Kowloon's tactics revolved around crashing the ball up very directly through their big forwards. They had neither the ability in the half backs nor the necessary movement in the back division to orchestrate anything more sophisticated. Although 'Loon put in their tackles all day, their main objective seemed to be to antagonise and disrupt Club as much as possible, whether legitimately or otherwise. Their infringements at the breakdown were as blatant as a daylight bank robbery and their off-the-ball physicality had all the subtlety of a lunchtime mugging in Queen's Road Central.

This brings me on to a sad task, which is to criticise the referee. I hate doing this: there is no game without referees and - to a man- they all do their best to enforce the laws and act impartially. The sound of half-drunk middle-aged halfwits droning on about the referee from the sidelines is one of the curses of rugby. The gentleman who officiated on Saturday was certainly doing his best and was in no way partial. But he was, without question, incapable of refereeing a game at this level. His failure to spot and punish consistent infringeing at the ruck and maul and senseless acts of violence around the park was hugely culpable. Players will soon start to take advantage of incompetent refereeing (who can blame this?) and Kowloon certainly did, as they abandoned any pretence of an effort to move into onside positions when defending and used their hands in the ruck with impunity. The HKRFU needs to be absolutely sure that its Division One referees are up to the task because nothing can kill good, fair rugby as quickly and surely as an official who is not.

Anyway, ranting done. The game began brightly for Club when some good pressure from the backs resulted in 'Loon spilling the ball to Dan Parr, who moved the ball on to Richard Rouse for a score in the corner. Kowloon were soon back in contention, though, after some weak Club tackling allowed them to crash over. They soon followed this up with a penalty to take the lead. Two Pat Foreman penalties steadied the nerves, however, taking Club into half time at 11-8. Club probably played some of their best rugby in a longish period in the Kowloon 22 in the second half, but the final pass would not come for them and 'Loon's ability to raid the ruck in the knowledge they were unlikely to be penalised made it hard for Club to get quick ball. The half unfolded in this scrappy way until another good Club attack into Kowloon territory allowed Pete McKee to scoot round the blindside of a ruck and unload to Tim Griffin for a score. At 16-8, more than a converted try ahead, Club were essentially safe and the game was soon over.

Although the injury list remains long, Club were able to welcome back the McKee brothers Pete (at scrum half) and Mike (at full back). Pat Foreman and Callum Nieto worked tirelessly in the backs, while I thought the front row of Nigel Hobler, Ben Stobart and Pete Spizzirri were strong and Tim Edgar turned in a typically uncompromising performance.

This will not be one for the scrap books, but it took a lot of guts for Club to hang in there and they should be very happy with the first half of the season, as well as confident that they can go on and finish the job in 2008.

Harps

Injury-ravaged Club stand firm against DEA

CBRE Club 20 - 3 DEA Tigers

It wasn't pretty. But, and it's as big a but as Ramsay Carter's, the result was absolutely what mattered. With eight frontline players missing through injury, Club were never going to achieve the kind of fluency they managed earlier in the season. And although DEA were not without their own casualties (including captain and coach Nigel Clarke), this was just the kind of game in which they might have sensed weakness and turned Club over. Club will be relieved to have returned to winning form after their disappointing loss to HKCC Aberdeen the previous weekend, although I feel reasonably certain that coach Quinton Wrigley will feel there was room for improvement in the execution of Club's gameplan.

First the positives. A weakened team stuck together well and played for each other. Tenacious defending meant DEA did not score a try. Pat Foreman showed his versatility (and an enormous boot) by filling in at fly half. Phil Reid, called into the side after Pete McKee broke down in training on Thursday, was a doughty replacement. Alex Gibbs returned to the side in decent nick. And Ben Stobart, who came into the side to deputise for hooker Tom Cameron, showed an accurate throw-in at the line out and good mobility around the park (as well as his ever-surprising ability to wind up opponents with decidedly average banter...). Indeed, the whole side played with commitment and energy; they simply lacked the degree of cohesion and control people have come to expect.

Club will admit that this was not a hugely convincing display and more an example of gritting the teeth and winning ugly than anything else. DEA dominated possession for long periods of the game and were perhaps unlucky not to break through. Their one penalty does not accurately reflect the balance of the game. Both sides were guilty of ill-discipline and both were reduced to 13 men at times. For Club, Tim Edgar was yellow-carded for not rolling away while Stobart was sinbinned for holding on, although it looked more like hands in the ruck to me. Both were perhaps harshly treated, but both were nonetheless booked and two yellow cards within moments of each other left Club dangerously exposed with a two man disadvantage. Oddly, this was when they conspired to play some of their best rugby of the match.

Some good forward pressure enabled loosehead Pete Spizzirri to crash over in the first half, Kris Marin also crossed and Foreman - who was well on target - added two penalties and two conversions. Fixtures at this stage in the season are always affected by injury, but Club will need to rally again and get as many players as possible out of casualty and back on the park before next weekend's clash with a powerful Kowloon team that ran a full-strength Club side close in October. Make no mistake, Club have had a fantastic start to the season with seven wins from eight games and they go into the final match of the first round in a well-deserved first place, 11 points ahead of HKCC. But they will be desperately keen to be sure they do not take the gloss off round one by finishing 2007 with a defeat. Club's strength in depth and ability to draw on the rest of the Club's players will be critical.

Harps

CBRE Club v DEA Tigers
HKFC, 6pm, Saturday 24 November 2007

1. Pete Spizzirri
2. Ben Stobart
3. Nigel Hobler
4. Tim Robinson
5. Tim Griffin
6. Tim Edgar
7. Jared Smith (AQ)
8. Kris Marin

9. Phil Reid
10. Pat Foreman
11. Callum Nieto
12. Richard Rouse
13. Nigel D’Acre
14. Dan Parr
15. Alex Gibbs (AQ)

Replacements

16. Kahn Rudolf
17. Ben Stobart
18. Steve Matthew
19. Duncan Robertson
20. Ramsay Carter
21. Adam Raby (AQ)
22. Troy Hogan

Aberdeen end Club's fine run

CBRE Club 5 - 15 HKCC

Club's amazing run of seven unbeaten matches came to a disappointing end on Saturday when a highly motivated Abderdeen team, stengthened by imported players in key positions, outmuscled a weakened Club side and added injury to insult by adding to HKFC's list of casualties. Club remain nine points ahead of Valley in second place, but will need to raise their game now that chasing pack has the scent of blood.

To achieve this, Club's strength in depth will be vital because a long list of key players are now sidelined by injury, including Rob Mills, James Kibble, Rory Hussey, Mike McKee and Andrew Chambers.

All good teams lose from time to time - even great ones do (need I mention the 2007 All Blacks?). What counts, of course, is how a team responds - whether it turns in on itself and implodes or comes back with a stronger sense of unity and ready to fight. Club should not beat themselves up too much about losing one game, but they should burst a collective blood vessel to be damn sure they come back stronger. Captain Nigel D'Acre and hooker Tom Cameron struck the right note after the game when they asked the team to stick together in the evening after the game: if you win together, you have to lose together and the shared experience of both is what binds you together and makes you a better unit.

The manner of the defeat was disappointing indeed, and that if nothing else should sting Club into doing better next time. The scrum came under pressure on the engage and when Abderdeen put the wheel on, often with devastating effect. Regardless of whether you think that law allowing a team to gain the put-in if they can twist a scrum through 180 degrees is easily the most brainless law in rugby (and I do), teams have to be able to defend against it at this level. Club were found wanting and must work hard to address this. To add to the problems in the scrum, lineout possession was not as reliable as ususal either. With so much potentially quality ball choked at source, the backs came into the game under pressure and without momentum, making it easier for Aberdeen to pick off isolated ball carriers. Kibble battled away admirably at fly half, but he was too often a solitary figure.

Despite Abderdeen's dominance, they were only able to put away one penalty in the first half to lead 3-0 at the break. However, they made their possession count in the second half with two tries, including one, embarrassingly, from a disrupted five metre defensive Club scrum. Club answered in the last 10 minutes with an unconverted score from Richard Rouse, but it was too little, too late.

In many ways, Abderdeen's victory was a lesson in making pressure count. They were more physical and more aggressive, putting Club on the back foot from the word go. And, having put themselves in the box seat, they did not ease up until the end. In truth, they did to Club what Club have done to many other teams this season. Clearly, what Club need to do is rediscover the aggression and intensity that allowed them to put this kind of squeeze on Abderdeen, Valley and Kowloon et al earlier on. With a diminished pool of players, it will be tough. But that is when Champions really emerge.

Harps

CBRE Club v Synovate HKCC
HKFC, 6pm, Saturday 17 November

1. Adam Harper (rep. Rudolf, 50 mins)
2. Tom Cameron
3. Pete Spizzirri
4. Angus Washington
5. Tim Griffin
6. Tim Edgar
7. Jared Smith (AQ)
8. Kris Marin

9. Peter McKee
10. James Kibble
11. Callum Nieto
12. Richard Rouse
13. Nigel D’Acre
14. Pat Foreman
15. Mike McKee (AQ)

Replacements

16. Kahn Rudolf
17. Ben Stobart
18. Steve Matthew
19. Tim Robinson
20. Ed Johnson
21. Adam Raby (AQ)
22. Timothy John Robinson

Take from them everything and give to them nothing!

CBRE Club 13 - Valley 6

Alright, it wasn't quite as bad as the battle of Thermopylae (no-one was killed, for example, although I feared Churchy was quite close to death at one point). But Club v Valley on Saturday was the rugby equivalent of hand-to-hand combat. If you wanted running rugby and flash moves, you were at the wrong game. If you wanted backs-to-the-wall defence, guts, grit and determination, you were in exactly the right place. The Club steamroller drives on, but Kowloon - and now Valley - have provided the blue and whites with their toughest tests so far. At the end of a game in which the margin between the two sides was never more than a converted try, Valley's players were inconsolable. The look of pride and, frankly, relief on the Club side's faces told you both how close this game had been and how much it meant to everyone involved.

Like Napoleon at Waterloo, Valley threw everything they had at the Club defense for what seemed an eternity (there were at least 10 minutes of injury time), but could never quite do enough to dislodge their stubborn opponents. But Club's tenacity in meeting the runners head-on, or in hauling them down in more desperate circumstances, was admirable. Valley threatened again and again, but never crossed the Club line - an achievement of which the home side should be justifiably proud. At the other end, a typically robust run from Richard Rouse - who had a commanding game in defence and attack - gave Club its only seven-pointer, to which Mike McKee added with a conversion and two penalties.

The pressure exerted by Valley allowed them to slot two penalties, and it also resulted in two yellow cards: one for loosehead Pete Spizziri for not rolling away and one to replacement backrower Shannon Ford for, well, retaliation. Valley's onslaught took a physical toll as well. An early ankle injury to number eight Rob Mills meant Rupert "Churchy" Clarke had to come on and play the best part of a second game that day, which was an impressive effort from the big man. Rory Hussey was another casualty of the trench warfare, departing the field with a dislocated patella (that's a b*ggered knee to you and me).

It is on victories such as this that championships are built, and Club will know they can take a good deal more heart from this than walks in the park against Causeway Bay (81-3) or even their win against an oddly lacklustre HKCC (22-0). Once again the victory was bult on a solid forward platform (the scrum only wobbled when reduced to seven men after Spizziri's yellow card, but was otherwise dominant), intelligent play by the backs (bolstered by the return of Nigel D'Acre) and truckloads of grit. As we move into the business end of the season, there is every reason to hope that Club can deliver on their great start this year.

Harps

CBRE Club v Crown Valley

6pm, Saturday 10 November, HKFC

1.Pete Spizzirri
2. Tom Cameron
3. Nigel Hobler
4. Laurence Denvir
5. Tim Griffin
6. Tim Edgar
7. Rory Hussey
8. Rob Mills
9. Peter McKee
10. James Kibble
11. Dan Parr
12. Richard Rouse (try)
13. Nigel D’Acre

14. Andrew Chambers
15. Mike McKee (AQ), (1 conv, 2 pens)

Replacements:

Adam Harper (used, sin-bin replacement)
Ben Stobart
Jared Smith (AQ), (used)
Rupert Clarke (used)
Shannon Ford (used, yellow card)
Adam Raby (AQ), (used)
Callum Nieto

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

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