Saxo Markets Prem Challenge Trophy 2019: Round 1 results
The Hong Kong Rugby new Saxo Markets Prem Challenge Trophy 2019 got underway this past weekend with the top six men’s teams in action in the Saxo Markets Prem Challenge Trophy.
In our preview of the new season, we laid out the plans of the HKRU for the year ahead.
Round 1 results: Saxo Markets Prem Challenge Trophy 2019
Natixis HKFC and Societe Generale Valley claimed big, bonus-point wins, in their opening games this past weekend over Herbert Smith Freehills HKU Sandy Bay and Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers respectively. In the other game, Kerry Hotel Kowloon narrowly beat Bloomberg Hong Kong Scottish.
On the new Challenge Trophy, Sandy Bay coach Brett Wilkinson said: “We have a lot of new faces in, and a lot of new caps today so it was good to get that first outing behind us. Now we can go back and review and get better from that performance.
The Challenge Trophy is about the younger players getting game time and building our strength in depth. We have a few guys still to come back from injury as well, so it is about giving them those opportunities now, and seeing where the guys are at on the big stage in a game like today.”
- Kerry Hotel Kowloon 17-12 Bloomberg HK Scottish
- Natixis HKFC 50-19 Herbert Smith Freehills HKU Sandy Bay
- Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers 17-43 Societe Generale Valley
Round 2 fixtures: Challenge Trophy 2019
- Natixis HKFC VS Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers
- Herbert Smith Freehills HKU Sandy Bay VS Kerry Hotel Kowloon
- Bloomberg HK Scottish VS Societe Generale Valley
See the full fixtures and results here (scroll down to the bottom.)
What is the Saxo Market Challenge Trophy?
The new Challenge Trophy Cup will be played in a round-robin format until the 5th October 2019, which will be followed by the Premiership league. The main focus of the league is to help clubs build depth and give younger players a chance to compete at a high level of rugby.
Hong Kong Rugby said last week that each club “each club will be given a dispensation to play a maximum of 5 players aged 25 and under in each of their 23-man squads for Challenge Trophy fixtures.”
You can read about other Asian rugby results from this past weekend here.