Grootfontein braces for Unam test

Two contenders that have lost ground on the front-runners will be eager to prove that they are still in the race in the 2023 Namibia Rugby Union premier league in this Saturday’s live NTV broadcasted match at Grootfontein.

FNB Grootfontein (eighth) overtook FNB Unam (ninth) on the NRU log probably for the first time since the northern team joined the NRU premier league two years ago following the Covid pandemic.

“We are only seven points behind FNB Rehoboth, who are currently the fourth-placed team, with the whole of the second round still to come. We fully believe we are still in contention for a semi-final qualification,” Grootfontein hooker Wikus Jacobs told the newspaper yesterday.

Jacobs is set to miss the Unam match, with a light illness during the week and also partly in anticipation of next week’s announcement of the players invited to national head coach Allister Coetzee’s first training camp ahead of the international season.

Jacobs and number 8 Johan Luttig returned from Welwitschias duty during the Mzansi Challenge, to play influential roles during Grootfontein’s first win of the season at Rehoboth Rugby Club last weekend.

Grootfontein’s surprise 23-17 win has put the northern team ahead of Unam, who last Saturday conceded an 8-5 lead at halftime to lose 8-24 to log leaders FNB Kudus.

According to Rehoboth coach Gerald Loubser, his team applied good pressure at times, but handling errors let them down.

“We were also punished for conceding turnovers when we did not commit enough early numbers to the breakdown. I had selected a mobile pack of forwards, which may have worked against us at times against the heavy Grootfontein eight, which dominated the scrums and pushed us off our own feed a few times,” Loubser said.

This weekend, Grootfontein will welcome back three forwards with previous Welwitschias experience – prop Nelius Theron, lock Rheinhardt Carelse and flank Pieter-Daan Kok.

Jacobs says his club has been through a challenging start to the season, with new leadership and untested combinations and especially a lack of fitness to remain competitive for the final 20 minutes.

“Reaching the semi-finals will take a lot of work, but for this weekend at least we have one of our strongeste teams so far this season,” Jacobs said.

While Unam’s first team had not been finalised by yesterday, head coach Russel van Rooi confirmed that 2019 World Cup prop Desiderius Sethie will not be in his plans for the trip to the north.

“Sethie injured his knee again and left the field after about 50 minutes against Kudus. We should however have Jason Benade available for us after being cleared by the NRU medical staff.

“Some players who were out with university exams are also back in contention for us this week,” Van Rooi said.

Despite their lowly ninth position and a steady slide from the opening weekend when they were top-of-the log after their 78-5 demolition of FNB Reho Falcon, Unam still possess more than enough for any opponent not te be taking them lightly.

With good possession coming their way, outside backs such as Paulus Hangula, Peace Shimwino, Aljarreau Zaahl and Shareave Titus present a constant threat.

• NTV’s live broadcast (also online at https://oneuptwo.com) will start from 13:30 ahead of the NRU Reserve League match between the second teams, leading up to the Premier League kick-off at 15:45.

HEAD TO HEAD

13 August 2022, at Unam: Unam 1 beat Grootfontein 1 (50-8)

25 June 2022, at Grootfontein: Unam 1 beat Grootfontein 1 (30-17)

24 April 2021, at Grootfontein: Unam 1 beat Grootfontein 1 (31-20)

• Grootfontein finished sixth in the 2022 NRU premier league. Unam finished third, then beat FNB Western Suburbs and lost to FNB Wanderers in the final (51-31).