HKFC Natixis Club kicked off their Nan Fung | AIRSIDE Men’s Premiership campaign on Super Saturday’s opening fixture. A new look Club team saw 7 men get their first HKFC appearances, with a further 7 making their Premiership debuts, in part due to the 16 players unavailable through Hong Kong China duties.
The first 20 minutes saw Scottish enjoy long swathes of possession, with Club’s defense holding well and causing errors. However, Club will rue not being able to capitalize on such opportunities – with attacking and poor discipline giving Scottish a 5-metre lineout from which Scottish hooker Leon Tuiloma crashed over (Scottish 7-0 Club).
With the Hong Kong heat baring down on both teams, more errors began to creep into both teams’ attack whilst they both jostled for field position and territory. Club’s best opportunity of the half came from a half-break by Jamie Ross, but a loose pass saw hopes of an equalizer dashed.
Some strong words at half-time saw the Club boys come out firing: a good bit of interplay between Robbie Fergusson and Zac Hrstich saw debutant Ant Coebergh into free space. Coebergh showed great footwork to dart under the sticks, with another debutant Quintony Ngatai on hand to level the scores (7-7).
Not long after, a great jackal by Jamie Ross saw Ngatai have an opportunity to give Club the lead. That opportunity sailed wide, and Scottish were soon back on the attack – converting their own penalty opportunity to nudge ahead (10-7).
Scottish threatened to capitalize on that momentum with more attacking phases in Club’s half – but Kai Stroem put an end to that, intercepting a loose Scottish pass to run under the sticks (10-14).
It was at this point that Club really took control with multiple darts at the try-line. Madison Hunting was unlucky to be held up after a great driving maul platform, but the next attack after the goal line drop out saw Sam Demaid-Groves score his first Premiership try (10-21).
With 4 minutes to go, HK Scottish threatened to get back into the contest through a well-taken quick tap try, but some more fantastic defence by the men in blue & white saw Club earn a strong victory (Full-time Score: Milwaukee HK Scottish 15-21 HKFC Natixis Club).