I believe this season has produced a higher standard of skill, more sustained intensity during games and more keenly contested matches than I have witnessed in my four previous seasons.

This has resulted in both the Premiership title and all important fourth-place play-off spot going down to the wire, providing us with an exciting run-in over the past few weeks, during which one slip-up could have – and indeed has – proved costly.

When the final round of league fixtures is completed and the respective champions are crowned, a major refocus will be needed as I believe any one of the four final teams are capable of causing an upset on their day in the Grand Championship knockout stages. This, of course, bodes well for an exciting end of season.

In the Grand Championship, success will favour those teams that are capable of making the most of their limited opportunities, and those that can maintain their shape, composure and discipline in tight games.

On the evidence of games to date, Valley provide the best example of what I’m talking about. Coaches Deano Herewini and Mike Diamond have got their men able to grind out narrow victories in tight games.

That said, they have also experienced lapses in form and I’m sure other coaches have their own opinion on who are capable of finding that “extra something” on the day.

Another key feature to success will be those teams who can maintain the intensity for the whole 80-90 minutes. While I have been quick to promote the merits of this season’s league games to date, and rightly so, I cannot fail to notice how for significant periods of any game the intensity and tempo drops off, particularly during the second half.

Moving forward to the Grand Championship and beyond therein lays our challenge as coaches and players alike, in pursing and then sustaining a new and higher level of skill, intensity and tempo for the full duration of games.

Switching focus now from domestic competition to the forthcoming international season, the Grand Championship matches will help confirm our final Hong Kong squad selections.

In respect of that selection process, what I will be looking for from players is best explained by a well-founded footballing analogy that was given to me by a respected mentor coach early in my own coaching career.

Our conversation and his wise words have served me well. Resonating as if heard only yesterday, he pointed out: “International players, and I mean ‘true’ international players, are those who come to the forefront when the game is tight. You know, when it is on a knife-edge at 1-1 or 2-2 and the next score is crucial. They are your leaders in the international arena – not those guys who show up when the game is already won at 3-1 or 4-1. Those are the ones who may get the plaudits and press attention, but they won’t win you tight games.”

So there you have it, the try scorers and point kickers will no doubt be the focus of most people’s attention, but my personal concentration will be on those who “step up” during tight games and make the difference. Those who take the score from 1-1 and lay the appropriate foundations so that our tried and tested Hong Kong rugby playing “rock stars” can enter stage right and cement victory.

Of course we’ll need a few of the rock stars to finish things off, but the games against the tougher opposition will also need players with endless resolve, guys who in the words of Rudyard Kipling can “keep their head when all about them are losing theirs”.

Therein, I believe, lays the key to our success over the forthcoming Asian Five Nations and Rugby World Cup qualifier campaign, along with a little luck in avoiding injury to key players along the way.