USRC Tigers extended their winning run to five
Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers extended their winning run to five in the Old Mutual International Men’s Premiership on Saturday, defeating Natixis HKFC 24-22 in a nail-biter at Football Club.Elsewhere, Societe Generale Valley took down rivals Herbert Smith Freehills HKCC 43-10, while Bloomberg HK Scottish breezed past Kowloon 49-21.
Football Club had all the running early on their home deck, creating opportunities deep in attack and keeping the Tigers guessing.
Two missed penalty attempts from fullback Glyn Hughes halted HKFC’s early progress, but Hughes was involved soon after as flanker Max Denmark found the line after some slick passing from his teammates.
As can often be the way, Hughes slotted by far the hardest attempt of his first three, splitting the sticks from the sideline to make it 7-0.
Tigers’ flanker Joe Ellyatt laid down a marker for his side, landing a crunching tackle on HKFC fly half Nate de Thierry.The Tigers were on the board soon after, with winger Sam Purvis dotting down in the corner and Robbie Keith booting the extras to ensure scores were level as the first quarter ticked by.
“Against Cricket Club last week, it took us a while to get going and we’ve been like that for the last couple of games,” Tigers coach Sam Hocking said.
“Joey and Purvo have been two outstanding players for us this year and they really raised the tempo of the game.”
Keith and scrum half Josh Walden got busy soon after to set up Tigers’ second try, with Jamie Chipman the beneficiary as the visitors went up 14-7.
A Hughes penalty was the only score for the remainder of the half, ensuring Tigers a 14-10 lead at the break.
Tigers carried their momentum into the second half, with centre Braam Gerber barging over the line after a sustained offensive push, with Keith again on target to push the margin to 11 points.
A yellow card to No 8 Josh Hrstich made life difficult for the Tigers and Hughes immediately made them pay, finding the try line and converting his own work to leave the score at 21-17 with 20 minutes remaining.
Another Keith penalty gave Tigers some breathing space and when HKFC replacement Marno Meyer received a yellow card with seven minutes remaining, Football Club were well and truly up against it.
But no one told them and scrum half Henry Poon found the line to bring them within two points after 80 minutes, only for Russ Webb to miss the conversion that would have drawn the game.
“I said to the boys, we are making it hard on ourselves with the penalties we give away. For us, more than anything it’s about being smart in the right areas and putting pressure on teams,” Hocking said.
“They were also ways going to come hard, the scrum was to and fro throughout the game. We put them under a bit of pressure at the beginning then once they made their changes they got at us a little bit. They were always going to come back with seven points in it.”
Hocking praised a number of his charges, as well as the overall attitude of his group.
“Winning does become a habit and we’re grinding out these games at the moment. I’m just looking forward to the time when we click and get everything right,” he said.
“Joe Ellyatt had an outstanding game again, just his work rate, and the back-row as a whole, even the changes. Calvin Hunter when he comes on makes a difference and it’s good having that quality bench to make the changes and change the game.”
In the Old Mutual International Championship, University Wizards saw their run end at five matches after they turned over the Old Mutual International Championship Challenge Cup to Natixis HKFC Scorpions after a 16-6 loss. Adding salt to the wound, HKFC leap-frogged Wizards into second spot in the league behind unbeaten Typhoons.
Comments on RugbyPass
Its a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend om the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside od World Cup years.
5 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
5 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
5 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to comments