NAN FUNG GROUP | AIRSIDE HONG KONG PREMIERSHIP: ROUND 7 REVIEW

Round 7 of the 2025/26 Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Hong Kong Premiership saw the return of the league after the international break, also delayed by a week, as Round 6 was put off due to the tragic Tai Po District fires. As a result, all Hong Kong China Rugby matches scheduled over the last weekend were cancelled.

James Farndon, CEO, Hong Kong China Rugby, said, “I’d like to acknowledge the way that the rugby community – led by many of our clubs – has come together over the past week to meaningfully contribute and support the relief efforts. This includes offering on-ground support in Tai Po, collecting and distributing food, water and household supplies, supporting blood donations, and raising money for official fundraising projects.”

A minute of silence was held at all youth and senior matches to give players, coaching staff, officials, fans and parents the opportunity to reflect and honour the lives lost.

Round 7 also saw the return of players and coaches who had been representing Hong Kong China’s representative XVs and 7s teams.

In the Women’s Premiership, all six teams were in action on 6th December. 

Societe Generale Valley RFC continued their undefeated run, while Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons had an impressive away win, and Kroll USRC Tigers Women's massive win saw them move clear into second on the table.

In the Men’s Premiership, there was a Friday night game which HKFC Natixis Club won, Kroll USRC Tigers RFC edged a nailbiter to continue their good season, as did Kowloon Rugby Club away from home against the log leaders.

For both Premierships, Societe Generale Valley RFC remain at the top of the logs, and the Women’s side is now the only undefeated team this season.

Women’s Premiership

HKFC Natixis Ice 15-52 Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons

Clement Shield/VetiVa Gai Wu Falcons put in an impressive performance away from home to trounce HKFC Natixis Ice. Few would have seen the scale of the result, and certainly at halftime, when the visitors had a nine-point lead of 19-10 with the hosts' tries coming from Avery Champion and Zoe Teece.

But they would only cross the whitewash one more time through Zero Leung while Gai Wu piled on another 33 points in the second period. It was a victory borne of revenge as HKFC had beaten them at home in the 2nd round 22-7.

While Gai Wu will look to end the year on a high note next weekend against Causeway Sandy Bay, HKFC head away to face their nemesis Societe Generale Valley RFC in Round 8. They were beaten 8-43 the first time they met this season.

Kroll USRC Tigers Women 70-5 Causeway Sandy Bay

Kroll USRC Tigers Women's big win over struggling Causeway Sandy Bay sees them move into second on the ladder behind defending champions Societe Generale Valley RFC.

The Tigers’ women head to play Kowloon in Round 8 and, based on current form, will be looking for a full complement of points to end 2025 well.

Causeway Sandy Bay are in 5th on the log and will look to add to the one win and draw they have thus far this season.

Societe Generale Valley RFC 79-0 Kowloon Rugby Club

The runaway Prem log leaders and defending champions are looking invincible at the moment, and the massive win shows no slowing down from the juggernaut this season.

Valley were leading 38-0 at halftime and in the end, ran in 13 tries in the 79-0 victory. It means they have now racked up 384 points and only conceded 22 going into Round 8 next weekend, the final game of 2025. 

Amber Tsang was the Valley Player of the Match as they look to continue this impressive run in the club’s 50th season.

Kowloon occupy the bottom of the log and have only scored 17 points this season.

Men’s Premiership

HKFC Natixis Club 41-27 Milwaukee Hong Kong Scottish

HKFC hosted Milwaukee Hong Kong Scottish on the weekend’s only match on Friday in the Men’s Prem, and the visitors put up another good challenge but ultimately saw their winless streak this campaign continue.

This, despite the news mid-week that the club re-signed James Rivers, who had been away on international duties since returning to Hong Kong in 2025. Rivers spent two years in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States, first with Anthem Rugby Carolina and most recently with the San Diego Legion. 

The visitors also welcomed back another HKCR international in the form of Marcus Ramage, who represented them for the first time since 2018, while Dean Squire made a return from injury to partner him in the centres.

This was HKFC's new Head Coach Ben Siffleet’s first match in charge. The hosts themselves were probably hardest hit by players being away in national camps, and the return of so many quality players bodes well for the next stint of the season. It was Tyler McNutt, Pierce Mackinlay-West, and Tommy Hill's first appearances in this season’s Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Men’s Premiership.

First half points for the victors came from Madison Hunting with a hat-trick, and newly capped international Max Murphy making his debut for the club and scoring, with Quintony Ngatai making it five in the half, Tommy Hill converting four of the tries for a 33-6 lead at the break.

HK Scottish fought back in the second half and made it 20-33, and a yellow card to Callum McFeat-Smith saw pressure mount.

A penalty for HKFC was scored by Hong Kong China-capped international Tommy Hill, and Madison Hunting added another five points with their only try in the period, for a personal haul of four tries in the match.

HKFC face the current league leaders Societe Generale Valley RFC next weekend and play defending champions Sandy Bay the week just before Christmas.

Kroll USRC Tigers RFC 45-44 HKU Sandy Bay RFC 

Kroll USRC Tigers RFC have now won four consecutive games as the side is purring this season after Nigel Hotham had a difficult start to his Hong Kong stint last year.

Beating the defending champions will give them the confidence boost they need, as they will face another team on the high, Kowloon Rugby Club. Tigers were 43-25 victors when they met in Round 3. The clubs are second and third on the log, so it's a big game in terms of bragging rights and for the season before the festive break.

HKU Sandy Bay still have two matches left in 2025, as they will face HKFC on 18 December, a game that was postponed from Round 1.

Societe Generale Valley RFC 27-31 Kowloon Rugby Club

Kowloon followed up their impressive win against Sandy Bay in the previous round and beat the undefeated log-leaders in Round 7, which pleased CCO and Head Coach Lewis Wilson, who wanted consistency this season.

When the two sides met the first time this season it was also a close encounter which Valley narrowly won 29-27.

Valley will look to bounce back next week against HKFC, who themselves tasted defeat this round. The first time they met this season saw Valley record a big 54-15 win, and they will need a win against a much stronger HKFC side this time around or they could be knocked off their perch from the top of the log by either Tigers or Kowloon.

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