Hong Kong Football Club have made a number of changes in the forwards for their second outing in the All China Inter City Series against PLA Sports Institute at Sports Road tonight.
Bigger but not better. That was the story of the Football Club scrum as they struggled against the Chinese Agricultural University in Beijing last week.
'While the Club pack was bigger, they were out-scrummaged on nearly every scrum by CAU who in one scrum pushed the Club pack back almost 10 metres,' related Derek Palaschuk, a former Club player who is now resident in Beijing.
In a bid to correct that aspect of their game, Club have rung in the changes right through the pack - a move which skipper Adam Horler hopes will help stabilise the foundation and set up a platform for a convincing victory against the PLA.
'The scrum was a big area of weakness last week. We struggled through the first half, although we tightened up in the second. We have done a lot of work on this part of our game and we are ready,' said Horler.
The new-look front row will see Thomas Cameron coming in at loosehead prop. Normally a hooker, Cameron started on the bench last week. But the front rower, who has played for Griqualand in South Africa, is deemed technically adept to play at loosehead and with fellow-prop Ed Floyd, Club feel they have a solid foundation. Mike Kerr will remain as hooker.
In the second row, Roger Patterson keeps his place along with Christian McGregor, while Ian Cooke will play at blindside with Horler shifting to openside and Hamish Bowden playing No 8. The back row changes were forced as flanker Will Wild is unavailable today.