Rehoboth wins last-minute thriller
Club rugby
Anyone not in attendance missed out on a spectacular match at Rehoboth High School field, where FNB Rehoboth took the bragging rights this time after neighbours FNB Reho Falcon won the derby 31-26 earlier this season.On Saturday, the result was in the balance until the last seconds of the 80th minute, before Rehoboth emerged 31-30 winners when a last-minute penalty sailed through.
Miquel Busch’s successful strike prompted celebrations among the Red Bulls and their fans, after a match played in good spirit and at full pace on both sides.
The narrow loss leaves Reho Falcon (fifth on 33 points from 13 matches) with a lot to do in their remaining matches in their faint hopes of overtaking fourth-placed FNB Grootfontein (39 from 14) and booking a remarkable spot in the semi-finals.
Grootfontein’s visit to Falcon next Saturday is shaping up to be of particular significance to both sides, while Falcon would then still have two crunch matches (away to Unam on 17 August; at home against United on 24 August).
Falcon lock Jerome Schuman found a gap for the opening try, converted by wing Enrique Husselmann, before Rehoboth nr 8 Edward Drotsky hit back with an unconverted try.
Falcon only managed two more tries in the match, by flank Keynnen Basson and lock Tony Isaacs. Along with Husselmann’s three conversions and three penalties they had to be content with just one bonus point for losing by less than eight points.
Instead Rehoboth, who practically seems to be eliminated from a top-four finish, secured the four-try bonus point with added five-pointers by inside centre Miquel Busch (2) and fullback Corburn Claassen.
After Busch had kicked 23 points seven days before to sink Suburbs in Khomasdal, his two tries, one conversion and three penalties against Falcon earned him another 21-point haul.
Crucially, Busch sent through the final winning penalty as the Red Bulls were saved blushes against Falcon’s determined fightback from deficits of 16-18 at halftime and 16-25 shortly after that.
Falcon was boosted by the appearance off the bench for the last 20 minutes from Cliven Loubser, Namibia test fly-half who missed the recent Rugby Africa Cup in Uganda with a groin injury suffered during the Major League Rugby season in the USA.