Inspired Grootfontein shocks Rehoboth, overtakes Unam

FNB Kudus are still in the lead after Week 7 of the Namibia Rugby Union’s premier league, but the awakening of FNB Grootfontein is bound to have raised most eyebrows.

It is still early in the race for semi-final spots and while the top three - Kudus (29 points from seven matches), FNB Wanderers (25 from six matches) and Trustco United (24 from six matches) - have opened a seven-point gap over the rest, there are just too many dark horses left in the race for anything to be taken for granted.

The return of Grootfontein’s talismanic duo from Welwitschias duty – hooker and captain Wikus Jacobs and number-eight Johan Luttig – was instrumental in the northern team’s first win of the season.

Grootfontein’s impressive 23-17 away win over FNB Rehoboth lifts them from 10th to eighth position, jumping one point ahead of both FNB Unam and FNB Reho Falcon.

Rehoboth’s scrum-half Miquel Busch scored all of their three tries, with only one conversion added by fly-half Henrique Olivier. Despite the loss, Rehoboth are still placed fourth on 17 points.

Grootfontein added a valuable bonus point with their four tries rounded off by Jacobs, flank Hendrik van Zyl, centre Buruxa Geiseb and wing Isaiah Muhinda.

“We were dominant up front, with myself and Johan providing a lot of go-forward with strong carries and providing good attacking possession to our backline. We also capitalised on any mistakes Rehoboth made,” Jacobs told Sport Wrap.



Wanderers win derby

Hosts Wanderers barely survived a determined onslaught from fierce rivals United, before clinching a narrow 33-30 win.

United scored three tries before half-time to build an emphatic 21-10 lead, before a nervous but systematic comeback by Wanderers saw them emerge in front when referee Zaid Isaacs blew the final whistle.

Barely two minutes were played before Wanderers scored the first try, when left wing Warren Ludwig chased after a grubber sent through by full-back Denzo Bruwer. The bounce beat United full-back Renier Benade and the speedy Ludwig had no one in front of him.

Bruwer’s conversion put the home side 7-0 ahead, but United were far from done.

Left wing JD Nel rounded off in the corner and just four minutes later, bullish captain Eloff du Plessis stormed through after 22 minutes and hooker Gerhard Thirion touched down from a maul off a stolen lineout just before half-time – all converted by Benade.

Bruwer, who landed one penalty in the first half, then uncharacteristically missed another right in front. With a Benade penalty and a well-taken Hanreco van Zyl dropped goal, United extended their lead to 27-13, but Wanderers clawed their way back with two more penalties by Bruwer.

The Wanderers full-back also placed a kick that bounced right for a converted try by right wing Nandivatu Karuuombe (27-20).

Although Benade added a penalty after 66 minutes (30-23), Wanderers scored a late try by replacement flank NG Swart from a lineout overthrow, with Bruwer’s conversion tying the scores at 30-30.

The winning points, Bruwer’s fourth penalty of the day, once again confirmed the small margins of recent derbies between these clubs which have kept supporters in suspense throughout.



Kudus beat Unam

The Walvis Bay team led by number-eight Joshua Jacobs confirmed their credentials with a hard-fought 24-8 win against Unam in Windhoek.

Unam were narrowly in the lead (8-5) by half-time thanks to a try by centre Peace Shimwino and a penalty by full-back Aljarreau Zaahl.

In a generally spiteful match, the students conceded their captain and prop Graham April to the sin bin for a late stiff arm that felled Kudus’ Chad Plato as he chased his kick ahead.

Full-back Plato got up from the injury and scored his side’s first try soon afterwards, as elder brother Aurelio at fly-half put him away with a long pass to the left, before a step inside and a dive over the line.

A maul try by Joshua Jacobs put Kudus 10-8 ahead, before centre Lloyd Jacobs cut through for their third try under the posts. Jayden Bussel at left wing put the result beyond doubt with the late bonus-point try off a quick-tap penalty. Replacement Geraldo Beukes added two conversions.

Unam has fallen from first place after Weekend 1, but coach Russel van Rooi will be hoping that the return of Conwill Draghoender and Rowan Jansen from a club season in Czech Republic, Johnny Mwenyo and Kieron Diergaardt from Wanderers and AJ Kearns from Western Suburbs will boost his side’s depth and experience.



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