Victory for Sparta

Sparta I defeated their coastal opponents Kudus III in a first division league match.
Victory for Sparta
Defending champions Sparta I clinched a 28-17 victory over their coastal-based rivals Kudus III in a Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) first division league match.
The Sparta second team were dealt a 26-15 defeat by a visiting Northern Force from Outjo.
Sparta I opened the score against Kudus III with a penalty in the first few minutes of the game. Thereafter, hooker Theo Coetzee scored the first try.
Team captain, and right wing Faven Visagie, missed the conversion kick.
Kudus III quickly retaliated with captain Ernesto Bampton (number 8) crashing over after a try by teammate Percy Nash (scrumhalf) was ruled out due to a knock-on. Teammate Brendon Seister (fly-half) missed the conversion.
One less
Sparta I received another penalty which Faven Visagie converted (8-5).
Ernesto Bampton once again found a gap in the opposition’s defence and scored another try. Seister missed the conversion.
Kudus right wing Zurial April received a red card, for a dangerous high tackle, leaving his team with one player less for the remainder of the game. Sparta took full advantage of this and Ronaldo Britzze (full-back) scored a try, with Visagie adding the conversion and making the score 18-10 at half-time.
The second half started off at a slow pace with Kudus III struggling to breach the defence of their opponents. Persistence however paid off when the Kudus’ inside centre Michael Tjazerua scored a try converted by Percy Nash (scrum-half).
Sparta had other plans. Visagie converted another penalty, followed by a try from substitute Iyaambo Shiimi and a successful conversion by Jay Jay Dentlinger (prop), turning the score to 28-17 in favour of Sparta at the final whistle.
Knew the opponents
Sparta captain Visagie said it was a tough match. “We knew Kudus were the team to beat and I am very proud of my team. We managed to stick to our game plan, kept our composure and our resilient attitude pulled us through.”
Sparta is travelling to the north for their next game against Northern Force. “We have played against them before, so we know what to expect, so I expect nothing but a win from my team against them.”
In the match between Sparta II and Northern Force, the try scorers for the visitors were Scott Botha (two tries) and Francois Swart, Hage Masuib, who both managed to score one try each. Three of the four tries were successfully converted.
Both Sparta scores were made by Jenery Xamseb, while teammate Bronwin Styger managed to convert one try and scored a penalty as well.