1. The “Martin Chapman Trophy” -to be awarded at each Annual Dinner-to Valley RFC’s “Club Person of the Year Award” - commemorates the life of Martin Chapman ( Valley Knights 1980-1982)

He died after a strike to the head in a match against Kowloon Beavers at Tai Hang Tung Boundary Street in 1982.

It was a tackle situation, and unclear whether the injury was the result of contact with the ground or with the opponent he was tackling.

Valley RFC covered all costs, including the flights and accommodation of his parents from the UK.

2. Valley RFC had an earlier (1978) “Clive Brockelbank Trophy” (Valley 1976-1978). Not a ‘rugby’ event but a fatal scuba dive in Cebu.

His ‘Valley Moment” was marked by an annual ‘trophy match’ with Kowloon-whatever happened to be Valley’s first contested match with Kowloon each season.

3. “The Bert Trophy” was - more happily - not associated with the demise of someone in Valley RFC.

Valley Life Member, Don Gibson, an avid Valley supporter, used to bring ‘Bert’, his pet Yorkshire Terrier, along to the matches.

The trophy was for the person who in each season, had shown the most support as a spectator, for Valley RFC

These 3 trophies -along with bits of other Valley silverware- were last seen on display behind the ‘Valley” Bar in Blue Pool Road, 20 or so years ago.

OTHER

There have been several other ‘on the pitch’ or ‘after-match’ rugby fatalities,
including that of Bruce Vogel, Police RFC and HK rep player, who suffered a heart event and died on the HKFC pitch in a 1989 match with Club.

In an eldritch moment, the officiating match referee, Anthony Noel Watson Brown, had also refereed Martin Chapmans fateful last game 7 years earlier in 1982.

Other HKRU ‘rugby’ associated fatalities include several from head injuries, heat stroke (not taking on enough water) and post match driving DIU.