SPORT - RUGBY
| 2013-08-06Western Suburbs off to winning start
Helge Schutz
POWERHOUSE... Western Suburbs eighthman Janee Karuaihe on the attack against Unam.
Photograph by Helge Schutz
DEFENDING champions Western Suburbs got off to a winning start in the second round Cup competition of the Namibian Rugby Premier League when they beat Unam 28-19 at Suburbs Park on Saturday.
After a tight first half, that saw Unam taking a 12-11 lead at the break, Suburbs finished stronger as they pulled away to a comfortable victory.
Chances were few and far between in a tight forward battle, but Suburbs took an 8-0 lead through a penalty by Shaun Kaizemi and a fine try by wing Japhet Tjinho who beat the cover defence with pace to touch down in the right hand corner.
Unam struck back through a try by eighthman Bwalya Bwalya from second phase possession, and although another Kaizemi penalty put Suburbs 11-5 ahead, Unam took the lead just before halftime when centre Bradley Claassen touched down with flyhalf Narada Mwashekeleh adding the conversion.
Kaizemi however restored Suburbs’ lead with a penalty early in the second half and when lock Munee Tjiueza crashed over for a converted try they were 21-12 ahead.
Suburbs’ influential centre Henry Tromp limped off with an ankle injury midway through the second half, but that did not stop their momentum as wing Cedric Haraseb broke through for a try behind the posts. With Kaizemi adding the conversion they were well ahead at 28-12.
Unam struck back through a late try by prop Hauta Veii, converted by Mwashekeleh but it was too little too late as Suburbs held on for a comfortable victory.
Rehoboth also got off to a winning start in the Cup competition, beating Kudus 18-11 in a tight match in Walvis Bay.
Scrumhalf Howard Titus was Rehoboth’ hero, scoring 13 of their 18 points.
Kudus took the lead through penalties by Ivor Croza and Aurelio Plato but Rehoboth struck back with a penalty by Howard Titus and a try by wing Graham van Wyk to take a 8-6 lead at halftime.
Kudus regained the lead through a try by wing Quinton Fielding but an intercept try by Titus and a penalty gave Rehoboth a hard fought 18-11 victory.
Rehoboth’s manager Marcelle Diergaardt said it was a very important victory.
“It was a very big win for us because it was away from home and it’s not easy to win in Walvis Bay. It shows we have enough depth because we had to play without eight of our first team players who missed the match due to work,” he said.
“When we next take on Western Suburbs, we will have top players back in the team like Johan Wohler, Yoshiro Klaasen, Eugene Forbes and Elrich Jansen,” he added.
Reho Falcon meanwhile took the lead in the Plate competition with a 53-16 victory against Dolphins. Falcon dominated from the start and took a 25-3 lead at halftime before running in a total of seven tries to clinch maximum bonus points.
Falcons’ try scorers were Ethian Baron (two), Anthony Brand (two), Elroy Diergaardt, Denzil van Wyk and Lariano van Wyk, while Des Lee Beukes added six conversions and two penalties.
Chances were few and far between in a tight forward battle, but Suburbs took an 8-0 lead through a penalty by Shaun Kaizemi and a fine try by wing Japhet Tjinho who beat the cover defence with pace to touch down in the right hand corner.
Unam struck back through a try by eighthman Bwalya Bwalya from second phase possession, and although another Kaizemi penalty put Suburbs 11-5 ahead, Unam took the lead just before halftime when centre Bradley Claassen touched down with flyhalf Narada Mwashekeleh adding the conversion.
Kaizemi however restored Suburbs’ lead with a penalty early in the second half and when lock Munee Tjiueza crashed over for a converted try they were 21-12 ahead.
Suburbs’ influential centre Henry Tromp limped off with an ankle injury midway through the second half, but that did not stop their momentum as wing Cedric Haraseb broke through for a try behind the posts. With Kaizemi adding the conversion they were well ahead at 28-12.
Unam struck back through a late try by prop Hauta Veii, converted by Mwashekeleh but it was too little too late as Suburbs held on for a comfortable victory.
Rehoboth also got off to a winning start in the Cup competition, beating Kudus 18-11 in a tight match in Walvis Bay.
Scrumhalf Howard Titus was Rehoboth’ hero, scoring 13 of their 18 points.
Kudus took the lead through penalties by Ivor Croza and Aurelio Plato but Rehoboth struck back with a penalty by Howard Titus and a try by wing Graham van Wyk to take a 8-6 lead at halftime.
Kudus regained the lead through a try by wing Quinton Fielding but an intercept try by Titus and a penalty gave Rehoboth a hard fought 18-11 victory.
Rehoboth’s manager Marcelle Diergaardt said it was a very important victory.
“It was a very big win for us because it was away from home and it’s not easy to win in Walvis Bay. It shows we have enough depth because we had to play without eight of our first team players who missed the match due to work,” he said.
“When we next take on Western Suburbs, we will have top players back in the team like Johan Wohler, Yoshiro Klaasen, Eugene Forbes and Elrich Jansen,” he added.
Reho Falcon meanwhile took the lead in the Plate competition with a 53-16 victory against Dolphins. Falcon dominated from the start and took a 25-3 lead at halftime before running in a total of seven tries to clinch maximum bonus points.
Falcons’ try scorers were Ethian Baron (two), Anthony Brand (two), Elroy Diergaardt, Denzil van Wyk and Lariano van Wyk, while Des Lee Beukes added six conversions and two penalties.
