On a cold and wet Saturday, March 15th, HKU Sandy Bay faced off against HKFC in an electrifying grand final that had fans on the edge of their seats. The atmosphere was charged, with a pumped-up Sandy Bay contingent creating a vibrant backdrop amidst the dreary weather.

Sandy Bay received the kickoff and immediately found themselves under pressure, defending wave after wave of attacks from HKFC. For the first 15 minutes, the resilience of Sandy Bay shone through, conceding only 3 points—HKFC led 3-0. However, the match took a toll on players, with Dean Rossouw suffering a nasty clash of heads, forcing him to be substituted by Dean Nieuwoudt.

As the game progressed, Sandy Bay began to build pressure. A crucial breakdown turnover by Nieuwoudt allowed Matt Rickard to level the scores at 3-3. The next 10 minutes turned into the "Mark Prior Show," culminating in a brilliant solo run that saw him score a try under the posts, with Rickard converting to push Sandy Bay ahead 10-3.

HKFC responded with determination, executing a line-out just 5 meters out and forcing their way over to equalize at 10-10. Both teams displayed admirable rugby, keeping the match on a knife’s edge.

Sandy Bay regained control and mounted another attacking drive, leading to Garrick Mattheus slotting a drop goal, making it 13-10 with just 4 minutes to go. Sam Trodd made a stunning line break, offloading to Korie Winters, who was held up just short of the line. This gave HKFC one last chance before halftime, which they converted to take a narrow lead of 17-13 into the break.

At halftime, Sandy Bay made strategic substitutions in the front row and half-back positions, which proved pivotal. The team regained the upper hand at set pieces, scoring a maul try from a scrum penalty, followed by another well-worked maul from 10 meters out, extending their lead to 27-17.

Sandy Bay continued to press, with Matt Rickard converting pressure into points, remaining 100% from the tee and pushing the score to 33-17.

Despite being down, HKFC, three-time champions, fought back with two quick tries, narrowing the score to 33-29 with just 6 minutes left. But up stepped Brendon Nell, showcasing individual brilliance with a solo try from 50 meters out, sealing the game at 40-29, with Rickard converting once more.

In the final minutes, HKFC spent their time on Sandy Bay’s goal line, but the defense held strong, fueled by the loud and proud support from Sandy Bay fans. As the final whistle blew, the realization set in: all the hard work had paid off.

The club rushed onto the field, embracing players amidst tears of joy—after 6 long years, Sandy Bay was crowned grand champions once again.

What a game, what a final, and what a club!

Up the Bay!

article by Marno Meyers