Club falter against Aberdeen

Club 5 - 16 HKCC

The sad news is that there will be no league and cup double in 2008/09. After successfully seeing off Valley in the first round last weekend, Club stumbled against a very motivated and well-organised Abderdeen team on Saturday, eventually succumbing 16-5.

Club will be disappointed with a peformance in which they were rarely able to achieve much continuity or fluency, but it is still the beginning of campaign and the greatest prize in Hong Kong rugby - the first grade championship - has not even started yet.

Without question, Club looked rusty. Injuries and absences had enforced wide-ranging changes in team composition from the previous week. But in spite of struggling to find cohesion and impose themselves on the opposition, Club were still able to restrict the score to 0-3 until the last third of the match. It is often and, I think, rightly said that a mark of a good team is their ability to compete when not playing well, and that was certainly true of Club at the weekend.

While this was not the team performance we might have hoped for, there were a number of encouraging signs. The scrum was dominant throughout the game as Pete Spizziri, Tom Bolland and Nigel Hobler took control. There were also fine performances in the forwards from Tim Griffin, Tim Edgar and, after their introduction in the second half Nathan Johnson and Rob Mills.

For much of the game, though, quality ball for the backs was extremely scarce. The backline, led by Captain James Kibble, was solid in defence but had little space or opportunity to attack. Too often, Club were either turned over in the tackle area or rather zealously penalised for holding on or going in off the feet. The effect, I'm afraid, was to stifle any kind of forward movement. Club only briefly gained momentum through a series of well-executed phases later in the second half in a pattern that led to Rob Mills' try. Aberdeen competed hard at the ruck and were smart in terms of pushing what they could get away with - my abiding memory of a few minutes on the pitch is charging into a few rucks only to find one of the Pale brothers standing up after making the tackle and coming in from the same side as the Club forwards...

Club can and will do better. As several people remarked after the game: "good teams sometimes just have off days." What's crucial now is to turn this off day into a catalyst for the future.

Harps

They only did it...

CBRE Club 26 - 19 Crown Valley

Well they only went and did it, didn't they? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Club turned over Valley on Saturday evening with a performance of tremendous intensity, characterised by dogged determination and illuminated by lengthy periods of top-class rugby. Make no mistake, this is as well as Club have played this season - and against a good Valley team whose desire to fight back against their old enemy after two previous defeats was all to obvious. But it was Club's day and, although they must win at least two more games to make the title safe, they demonstrated beyond all reasonable doubt on Saturday that they are the dominant force in Hong Kong rugby. Let the joy be unconfined...

This was never going to be easy, but Angus Washington calmed Club's nerves from the very start, using his considerable height and presence to claim a fine Aussie Rules-style catch from the kick-off - an achievement he repeated again and again throughout the game. From there, Club moved straight into top gear, putting pressure on Valley in their own 22. The set-piece started well and remained superior all evening, as Spizziri, Cameron and Hobler laid down the law against a very solid Valley front row. Add to this Valley's inability to contest line-out ball thrown to one of the world's less likely jumpers - the admirable Tim Edgar at the back of the line - and Pat Foreman realised he could initiate a pragmatic positional kicking game, safe in the knowledge that the forwards had the better of their opposite numbers.

But Club's game would go further than this. Ruck ball was won more quickly and securely, in my view, than at any time previously this season and Foreman was able to release Club's classy backline on several occasions. Richard Rouse looked sharp at centre, but it was the full-back Mike McKee who crossed for Club's first score early in the second half. At that point, Club were in the box seat and Valley looked nervous - their outside half Judd was played into constant trouble by a string of passes under pressure that bounced like dambuster bombs and had to be collected around his ankles as the Club back row zeroed in on him.

Write Valley off at your peril, though, especially when they are playing HKFC. After McKee's score, the reds managed to break up the pattern of Club's game and to thrive in a more chaotic environment. Suddenly Club were turned by breakaways and hack-throughs and before you know it, Valley had scored twice and converted once, giving them 12 points to Club's 5. However, Club stemmed the tide, regrouped and were able to hit back with a Mike McKee penalty and a cool 40-yard drop goal from Foreman on the stroke of half time. It was 12-11 to Valley at the turn, but Club were regaining the momentum.

Club knew the game was theirs to win, but that it was crucial to retain their shape against a Valley team intent on playing a disruptive game. They came out carrying and rucking ferociously, generating the momentum that allowed Rouse to bounce off several would-be tacklers to score under the posts early in the half. McKee converted to make it 18-12. Advantage Club, but still not a safe game by any means. It would be unfair to single out any single player, but Club played 30 minutes of wonderfully committed, aggressive and controlled rugby in the second half - even when down to 14 men after Tim Griffin, whose workrate had been second to none, was rather unfortunately yellow-carded for a high tackle. Replacements were also critical with Rupert "Churchie" Clark and Dean Finnegan coming off the bench to play their part. Club put the game away perhaps 10 minutes from the end when a long period of pressure close to the Valley line ended in Colin Begg (another replacement) scampering over in the corner. With another McKee penalty, that gave Club a 26-12 lead.

Once again, Valley refused to lie down and die. Instead they came back firing, scoring a converted try to make it 26-19 and camping on the Club line as injury time went on, and on, and on. Desperate tackling denied Valley their great escape, however, and Club supporters' palpitations were soon replaced by sheer joy at a great performance which marked an unprecedented 3-0 whitewash of Valley in 2007-08. Celebrations are premature as the season is not yet finished, and in any case should be tempered by the loss of No. 8 Rob Mills with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but Club have stepped up a level here and the rest of HK rugby must be wondering how they can counter the resurgence of a Club that has been so often (and so wrongly) derided as pampered, soft and undermotivated. The Empire Strikes Back? Let's hope so. Bring on Aberdeen next Saturday...

More to come on Scorps, Drags v PLA this weekend and A Guide to Playing Rugby in Guangzhou...

Harps

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

No complacency for Club, more sting for Scorps

Friday night is here again, which can only mean one thing - tomorrow is Saturday, the day consecrated to rugby and beer (preferably in that order).

Club, unbeaten and 14 points clear of Valley at the top of Division One, will play HKCC at the Football Club, kicking off at the usual time of 6pm. Club are without Nigel Hobler, Dan Parr and Andrew Chambers this weekend, bringing Pat Foreman, Callum Nieto and your correspondent into the side. 'Big' Tim Robinson (the lock), thereby distinguised from 'Little' Tim Robinson (the winger), marks his return to Hong Kong rugby by making the Club bench (after playing for Drags). Jared Smith makes his starting debut at openside for the injured Rory Hussey, while Kris Marin returns to replace Rob Mills, also injured, at number eight.

With no other side having any realistic hope of catching Club in the league phase of the season, they will have to be sure to maintain the levels of intensity and determination that have carried them this far. Aberdeen may not be able to win the league, but Club remain the ultimate scalp in this division and you can be sure their opponents will come out with tomahawks in hand.

In Division Two, it's a 3pm Club derby for two teams with contrasting fortunes. Dragons have been in effervescent form, with a powerful set of forwards that have dominated every pack they have encountered, and a lightning backline. Plus they have Phil Reid. Scorpions, on the other hand, are having a miserable season. Last year's Division Two Grand Champions are languishing at the bottom of the table this year, with just one win (that remarkable 28-22 fightback win over Valley on 6 October). Scorps will know that they badly need to show some spirit and aggression to restore a sense of pride in their season. But what better occasion to start a turnaround than against their Clubmates from Drags? Scorps will need to dig deep but they can challenge here if they come in with the right attitude and get off to a good start.

It's a similar story in Division Two, where Select bestride the table like a colossus, while Sequins bring up the rear. Sadly, no-one tells me anything about these teams so I can provide no further illumination. Animal's back hair could have fallen out and Sam Cooper could have become anorexic for all I know... In any case, Select's game against SJM Macau has been postponed while Sequins will take on the Kowloon Pussies at So Kon Po. If someone would like to tell me what happens in that game, I'd be much obliged.

Also... PLEASE TAKE SOME BL*ODY PHOTOS AND SEND THEM TO ME SO I CAN PUT THEM UP ON THIS BLOG. Send them to adam.harper@asia.ing.com

I'm off for a quiet dinner and an early night after something of a night of it with Nick 'Jamesy' James & co last night. Bring on tomorrow!

Harps


Club v HKCC, 6pm, HKFC

1. Adam Harper
2.Tom Cameron
3. Peter Spizzirri
4. Tim Griffin
5. Angus Washington
6. Tim Edgar
7. Jared Smith (AQ)
8. Kris Marin

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

Replacements:

Damian Babis
Ben Stobart
Tim Robinson (BIG)
Adam Raby (AQ)
Ed Johnson
Tim Robinson

Drags v Scorps. 3pm, HKFC

1. Rob Naylor
2. Ben Stobart
3. Damien Babis
4. Peyton Burnett
5. Tim Robinson (Big)
6. Shannon Ford
7. Rob Hewitson
8. Steve Mathews
9. Phil Reid ( C)

10. Robin Bredbury
11. Ed Johnston
12. Simon Shoebridge
13. Tim Robinson (not so Big)
14. Adam Raby
15. Ed Cosgrove

Replacements:

Ben Harris
Ben Michael
Andy Walters
Troy Hogan
Romain Perret
Diarmuid Kinsella

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

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