Paul Dingley's life has turned upside down in the space of three weeks. He became a proud father when his wife Louise safely gave birth to daughter Natasha. The great news was tinged with bad. Dingley lost his job last month, becoming another statistic in Hong Kong's growing number of unemployed. Life may have changed but Dingley hopes some things will continue - like Asahi Valley's unbeaten run in the Hong Kong First Division. The defending League champions take on DeA in the semi-final of the title-deciding Grand Championship at Happy Valley today (3.45 pm). It will be a titanic match-up between Valley's formidable set of forwards and DeA's dangerous backs. 'Our biggest problem is we will have to find our feet quickly for this is our first game in a month. But I think we are experienced enough not to get flustered and nervous,' Dingley said yesterday. The Hong Kong and Valley No 8 is aware DeA can pose a huge threat to his club's plans of defending their League title next Saturday against Aberdeen in the Grand Final. If DeA play as a cohesive unit, especially in the forwards, they could push Valley. It will be a huge task DeA face in the forwards with Valley fielding a full-strength lineup for probably the first time this season. The Valley front row looks iron-solid with Ben Hindmarsh, Stu Denton and Pete Spizzeri fronting up. Clint Heaps returns from injury and will partner Lachlan Miller in the second row, while the back row comprises Dingley and flankers Brent Edwards and Wes Packer. 'The battle up-front will be the key. Man to man I feel our backs are as good, if not better than Valley's. We will have to try and keep it away from their forwards although I'm very confident our forwards can do the job,' DeA captain and scrum-half Rob Naylor said. DeA have made a couple of tactical changes in the backline with fast-improving youngster Andrew Chambers moving to the flyhalf berth. The midfield will comprise a solid wall in Brett Forsyth and Logona Kerisome, while Alex Zenovic and Ricky Cheuk will be on the wings. Big Mark Solomon will man the last line of defence and probably the first line of attack too. 'This is the strongest team we can put out and it is up to us now,' Naylor said. Valley, who will miss banned scrumhalf Andrew Wong Kee, have brought in the steady Mark Cameron as a replacement. The favourites also have the luxury of boasting a better bench, with players like Luciano Afeaki and Bryce Dailly on the touchlines. A DeA win will break the stranglehold Valley and Football Club have on Hong Kong rugby. It would be a popular win too, following on last week's 30-19 defeat of Football Club by Aberdeen. 'It will be very tough,' admitted Dingley. 'But if we stay focused and play to our strengths, I don't think we have anything to worry about.'
