Top contenders start well in NRU league

The new generation of FNB Unam first-team players worked themselves into top position of the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) premier league after the opening weekend.

Unam raced to score 12 tries on their way to a 78-5 runaway win at home against FNB Rehoboth.

Vomembo Shihepo (full back, one try), wings Paulus Hangula (two) and Shareave Titus as well as outside centre Peace Shimwino (two) scored six tries among them.

Scrum half Tjipe Tjatuuapo, flank Berry Gande (two), lock Bjorn Kazondunge and the replacement speedsters Tonderai Ndudzo and Damian van der Ross also crossed the Falcon goal line, for fly half Aljerreau Zaahl to kick nine conversions (18 points).

Thanks to the huge points difference, the student team has taken the top spot on the log. An away match against Wanderers is their next assignment.

Wanderers

Defending champions FNB Wanderers had a successful trip to FNB Rehoboth, returning with a 47-13 win and the maximum six log points (by scoring seven tries).

With only four or five regular first-team players from last year, Wanderers showed their potential with a big win against an opponent that has troubled them in recent away matches.

Wing Warren Ludwig scored twice for the winners, along with tries by fly half DJ Holtzhausen, hooker Darius von Solms and bench players Ignus Tripodi, Ryan Coetzee and Kieron Diergaardt. Full back Denzo Bruwer converted six of the seven.

For Rehoboth, centre Nando Dentlinger and lock Chester Diergaardt scored tries, along with a penalty by fly half Casey Beukes.

Suburbs

FNB Grootfontein struggled to keep up with the pace of a fit-looking FNB Western Suburbs, who dominated their clash in Khomasdal 54-24.

After a brief period at 7-7, Suburbs secured their first bonus point after just 35 minutes with their fourth try and eventually picked up the full six points.

Suburbs led 28-12 at half-time through tries by wings Heino Keister, Dumarcho Hartung (two) and hooker Vernon Diergaardt, all converted by scrum half Bronwon Willemse.

The Khomasdal team again found their rhythm in the last 20 minutes for further tries by Keister, Willemse and replacement Jayden Links.

Willemse finished with six conversions, while full back Riacrdo Swartz landed one.

Grootfontein replied with three tries, by props Riaan Potgieter and Henning Joubert, wing Benjamin Boshoff and lock Oliver Mouton. One conversion each came from centre Ian Malan and fly half Ronald Deck.

Kudus

FNB Kudus, one of the front-runners last year, got off to a bumpy start (21-26) against Trustco United at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek.

In an action-packed match, United scored only two tries (flanker Eloff du Plessis, lock Zander Bronkhorst) against Kudus’ three. However, three penalty kicks, a conversion and a drop goal from full back Renier Benade sealed the deal for United.

His brother, centre Reinold Benade, slotted the second conversion.

Reinold, however, got the only yellow card of the match.

Although United struck first with a penalty, Kudus came back with a bang, forcing the pressure with multiple penalties on United’s try line.

Prop Sydney Halupe went over for Kudus after a massive driving maul to lead by 7-3.

That was the Walvis Bay side’s last points in the first half, trailing by 10-7 at half-time.

Too many knock-ons, unforced errors and conceded penalties let Kudus down, against some excellent defensive play by United. The hosts scored 16 unanswered points in the second period, leading 26-7 before the Kudus machine got fired up again.

After excellent play, replacement prop Hoebeb Hoebeb and reserve scrum-half Jivino Polster scored for Kudus, while fly half Geraldo Beukes (two) and Rayton Paulse (one) converted.

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