WHS and Gym set up enticing NSSR final
Schools rugby
The 2024 finalists in the Standard Bank NSSR leagues were decided at the Hage Geingob Stadium.
For the second year in a row, Samsung Windhoek High School (WHS) and King Price Windhoek Gymnasium will contest the final of the Standard Bank Namibia Secondary Schools Rugby (NSSR) under-19 Super League this coming weekend.The 2024 finalists currently share the title after playing to a 34-34 draw in last year’s final.
In Friday’s U19 19 Super League semifinal, WHS defeated OK Moria 45-27, before Windhoek Gymnasium defeated PSG Pro-Ed Academy 27-26 on Saturday. Moria and Pro-Ed will now contest the bronze medal match.
WHS 45-27 Moria
Moria outside centre Bertus Narib converted two penalties (6-0), but tries by WHS full-back Joshua (8th minute) and hooker Marchall Klein (12th minute) were both converted by Moller (14-6).
Moria inside centre and captain Jano Erasmus scored his side’s first try in the 19th minute. Narib’s conversion trimmed the gap to one point (14-13).
WHS systematically took control with tries by outside centre Sammy Soobramoney (29th minute; 19-13), flank Pieter-Jan Strydom (34th minute), inside centre Eljoh Strauss (41st minute; 31-13) and right wing Ethan Sinden (49th minute), with conversions by Moller boosting their total to 38-13.
Tries by Moria prop Wian Maartens and Jano Erasmus in the 52nd and 56th minutes were both converted by Narib, reducing the deficit to 38-27.
WHS’ Joshua Moller hit back with a 60th minute try and also converted (45-27).
Windhoek Gym 27-26 Pro-Ed
Windhoek Gym outside centre Janré van Zyl stunned Pro-Ed with a try after three minutes. Flyhalf Waldré Kotze landed the conversion.
Pro-Ed flyhalf Maughan Jarman converted two penalties (6th and 10th minute; 6-7), before Windhoek Gym nr 8 and captain Ruan Agenbag added a penalty in the 14th minute and stretched the gap (10-6).
Pro-Ed flank Liam Nasilowski stormed through for his side’s first try (23rd minute) which Jarman converted to hand Pro-Ed the lead (13-10), before another Jarman penalty in the 43rd minute.
Agenbag hit back with consecutive tries (47th and 52nd minutes), with Kotze two conversions putting the Lions ahead 22-16.
Whk Gym flank Roché Brand touched down in the 60th minute (27-16). Although Pro-Ed finished the last few minutes with a Jarman penalty for Pro-Ed and the conversion of replacement Phillip Robberts’s 69th minute try, they ran out of time in their late comeback (26-27).
U19 A League
Autohaus Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool (WAP) and Elnatan will contest the final of the NSSR U19 A League.
Affies defeated Compack Tsumeb Gymnasium 22-19 and Elnatan eliminated PSG Walvis Bay Private School (WBPS) 24-20.
WAP flank and captain Gianluca Savoldelli scored three tries (14th, 41st and 60th minute), along with a penalty and two conversions by full-back Carter Loubscher.
Tsumeb’s nr 8 Emile Kuhn touched down in the 22nd minute for fullback FJ Fourie to convert, while flank Eduardo Amutenya’s 47th minute try leveled the scores at 12-12. Scrumhalf Charl Cilliers’ 70th minute try came too late for the northern team’s hopes.
• Elnatan flyhalf Antonio Titus opened matters with a penalty (10th minute).
Right wing Mark Lowings hit back with a try for WBPS in the 22nd minute which fullback Antua Klein converted (7-3). Klein’s penalties in the 36th and 40th minutes extended their lead to 13-3.
Elnatan nr 8 Bootje Booysen recorded their first try in the 42nd minute. Titus converted (10-13) before adding his own fivepointer and conversion in the 48th minute, putting Elnatan 17-13 ahead. Titus also converted replacement RW Derks’s next try in the 55th minute (24-13).
WBPS trimmed the margin to 20-24 with prop Johan van Wyk’s try in the final minute, which Klein converted.