Sandy Bay give Valley a fright before losing in Hong Kong Premiership

It was an improved performance by Herbert Smith Freehillls HKU Sandy Bay and they kept Valley close for most of the game but the depth and talent of Valley eventually won the day.

With 14 premiership squad players injured or absent, Wilkinson's squad did exceptionally well to keep Valley out for what seemed like a thousand phases and even managed bag a quality meat pie through No. 8, Luke Van Der Smit.

Young Callum Tam had a decent hit out, starting his first Premiership match at hooker, and the Hong Kong U20 will benefit from this opportunity with Ben Roberts and Jak Lam out injured.

The backrow Matt Lamming, Web Vueti and Van Der Smit worked hard to contain their Valley opponents while the set piece went reasonably well with more tweaking to be done.

The Sandy Bay defensive effort was huge for much of the game, frustrating Valley into critical errors at key moments.

This is a squad that will continue to improve as it waits for key players to return to the coal face,

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Additional reporting from SCMP
PUBLISHED : Saturday, 29 September, 2018, 8:48pm

SOURCE: https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/2166319/sandy-bay-give-valley-fright-losing-hong-kong-premiership

EXCERPT:

Sandy Bay give Valley a fright before losing in Hong Kong Premiership

The Premiership new boys are clearly the improved team of the season as they push the defending champions right to the whistle at King’s Park on Saturday.

Herbert Smith HKU Sandy Bay are clearly sick of losing. The new side in the Hong Kong’s men’s premiership won only one game last season (playing under the Hong Kong Cricket Club banner), and lost their opening match of the season last weekend to Natixis HKFC.

This week things were a bit different as they pushed perennial powerhouse and six-time defending grand championship final winners Societe Generale Valley right to the whistle in their second game of the season, but ended up losing 38-22 at King’s Park on Saturday. The team spent a fair portion of the game in Valley’s territory, showing improvement on both offence and defence.

Down by only two points at half, Sandy Bay have clearly improved their squad from last season under second year coach Brett Wilkinson, grinding hard against Valley and supported by a loud cheering section Saturday afternoon at Kings Park.

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