Kudus on a roll, as Falcon holds United
Three highly entertaining NRU league matches were played this weekend, as the log leaders were overtaken.The FNB Kudu Rugby Club has become the fourth team this season to hold the lead in the Namibia Rugby Union’s premier league.
Coach Gawan Esterhuizen’s men defeated a determined Rehoboth 31-14 at Walvis Bay on Saturday.
The visitors delivered a fierce scrum performance, while Kudus had to make do with 13 players at one stage after yellow cards to flanker Lezardo Vos, No. 8, captain Joshua Jacobs, and replacement back Paolo Andrews.
Kudus’ tries were scored by Andrews, prop Sydney Halupe, centre Justin Newman, wing Chad Plato and fullback Aurelio Plato. Flyhalf Geraldo Beukes added three conversions.
For Rehoboth, leftwing Divan Mathys and reserve scrumhalf Miquel Busch scored tries, both converted by flyhalf Henrique Olivier.
The win puts Kudus in the top slot with 24 points after six matches – overtaking Trusco United (23 from five matches) and FNB Wanderers (21 from five matches).
Rehoboth is placed fourth with 16, followed by FNB Western Suburbs (fifth, 15), FNB Unam (9), FNB Reho Falcon (9) and Grootfontein (5).
Kudus will take on Unam in Windhoek on 10 June.
Wanderers down Suburbs
On Friday, FNB Wanderers achieved a 30-20 home win against the FNB Western Suburbs after a 21-10 lead at half-time.
The home side scored three tries against two.
Wanderers fullback Denzo Bruwer contributed 15 off the kicking tee, including three conversions before halftime and three second-half penalties to push the margin beyond seven and deny Suburbs the losing bonus point.
Flank Dhale Cloete and scrumhalf Bronwon Willemse scored tries for Suburbs. Willemse hit the mark with two penalties and one conversion.
Dandre Schreuder (hooker), Anton Steenkamp (Nr. 8 and captain), and Danie van der Merwe (scrumhalf) scored tries for the home side. Schreuder left the field in the second half with an ankle injury.
United held to a draw
Seventh-placed FNB Reho Falcon fired a warning shot by holding United as log leaders to a 40-40 draw at the Dr Lemmer school field in Rehoboth on Saturday.
In an entertaining match, Robbie Dickson’s Philistines recorded a total of six tries by flyhalf Hanreco van Zyl (2), scrumhalf Jahno du Plessis, hooker Gerhard Thirion, flank and captain Eloff du Plessis and centre JD Nel. Five of fullback Renier Benade’s conversions sailed over.
Each team added three league points, as Falcon made a statement with five tries rounded off by loose forwards Keynnen Basson and John Toby van Wyk, scrumhalf Dillan Kahmann and his replacement Brian Bayer, as well as wing Daniel Bezuidenhout.
• Log standings, results, and fixtures at www.fnbrugby.my.na/