Shea Turner and the Kiwi connection provide the X factor as Scottish roller coaster continues in Hong Kong Premiership
The 24-year-old is busy up front as his side open up Kowloon on the way to a 45-28 victory
Regardless of where you go in the rugby world you will find New Zealanders and Bloomberg HK Scottish is no different, with hooker Shea Turner thriving on his side’s free-flowing, “Kiwi” style of rugby.
That attacking approach worked for Scottish in the Old Mutual International Men’s Premiership on Saturday, with Turner his usual busy self as his side took down Kowloon 45-28.
The 24-year-old joined the club this year and is one of a host of New Zealanders at Scottish, along with the likes of No 8 Josh Dowsing, centre Sam Vaevae and scrum half Mike Moeahu.
“We like to play quite an open style of play and obviously we play at the Rock [at Shek Kip Mei] with lots of space so it works well,” Turner said.
“It makes it easy coming over when there is already a big bunch of Kiwi boys, it makes the transition a lot easier.”
Turner has played most of his rugby for Glenfield in Auckland and is soaking up the opportunity to experience the game outside his home country, impressing coach Craig Hammond in the process.
“He’s done well, he plays a bit of back row as well and he is one of those guys that have played week in, week out and is very active with ball in hand,” Hammond said.
“He does his job in the set piece but he has a bit of an X factor to him in regards to his carrying, tackling and jackling and that kind of thing and has scored a few tries.”
It was not all plain sailing for Scottish on Saturday, with early tries to Jack Neville and Bryn Phillips seeing Kowloon open up a 14-3 lead.
Scottish then reeled off 28 unanswered points to take the ascendancy and were never genuinely troubled after that, with two penalty tries kick-starting their charge before Dowsing, Mike Parfitt and Lex Kaleca crossed.
“We’re slowly putting it together, we just have to put in the performances week after week,” Turner said of the win that ensures Scottish will host Kowloon in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, Societe Generale Valley won a cliffhanger against Herbert Smith Freehills HKCC 15-14, and the Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers defeated Natixis HKFC 27-22.
In the KPMG Women’s Premiership, Gai Wu breezed past HKFC 79-0 to secure the league championship, Valley defeated Tigers 38-20, CWB Phoenix saw off City Sparkle 13-3 and Tai Po got home 20-0 over Kowloon.
