FNB Wanderers opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the Namibian Rugby Premier League log after a massive victory against FNB Western Suburbs, while Montego United moved into second place after the weekend’s matches.
Wanderers gave an awesome display of power rugby as they ran in 16 tries to thump Suburbs 104-28 on their home ground in Pionierspark.
Suburbs managed to keep them at bay for the opening 10 minutes, but with Wanderers dominating all aspects of the game it was just a matter of time before Suburbs’ defence crumbled.
Flanker Jorick Muir crashed over for Wanderers’ opening try and from then on it was one-way traffic as they raced into a 26-0 lead.
Suburbs managed to open their account with a try by centre Morgan Esterhuizen, but Wanderers struck back with three more tries to take a commanding 45-7 lead at the half-time break.
Wanderers dominance continued in the second half as they ran in nine more tries, but Suburbs, to their credit, never gave up and managed to score three more tries of their own.
Wanderers’ pack was in great form with six of their eight forwards all crossing the whitewash.
Muir scored three tries, fellow flanker Kyle Nel two, locks Kistings Minyoi and JP Campbell two each, eighthman Adriaan Booysen one, and hooker Edward Drotsky one.
Among the backs, winger Nandivatu Karuuombe scored three tries, and centre Owen Hawanga and substitute Ryan Coetzee one each, while flyhalf Johnny Mwenyo added 12 conversions for a personal tally of 24 points.
Besides Esterhuizen, Suburbs’ other try scorers were eighthman Nzola-Mensa Nkunku, who scored two, and flyhalf Wyatt Brooks, who scored one try, and added four conversions for a personal tally of 13 points.
The maximum bonus-point win saw Wanderers stretching their lead to 63 points at the top of the log to move nine points clear of United, who beat Grootfontein 50-17 to move into second place on the log.
It was a great performance by United who inflicted Grootfontein’s first home defeat of the season, while they also collected maximum bonus points with a seven try victory.
Jurgen Meyer and Jandre Esterhuizen both scored two tries, and Suramie Kambombo, DJ Holtzhausen and Thehard Lintvelt one each, while Lintvelt added three conversions and a penalty, and Enrique Husselmann three conversions.
The defeat saw Grootfontein dropping down to third place on 50 points, while Kudus are now just behind them on 50 points after beating FNB Reho Falcons 71-17 at Rehoboth.
Kudus ran in 11 tries through Aston Mukwiilongo and Clayton Camm (three each), Ja-Tamson van der Berg (two) and Lloyd Jacobs, Lucio Isaacs and Roberto Lensley, while Denzo Bruwer added six conversions and Kyle Wentzel two.
Falcons scored two tries through eighthman Thomas Kali and lock Hope-do Angula, while centre Enrique Olivier added two conversions and a penalty.
Kudus are now in the driving seat to make the semi-finals after opening up a 13-point lead over fifth-placed FNB Unam, who beat FNB Rehoboth 42-24 at home.
Unam scored six tries through centre Willon du Plessis (two), flyhalf Keanan Diergaardt, eighthman Gilad Plaatjies, substitute forward Valentino Niigambo, and fullback Aljarreau Zaahl, who added six conversions for a personal tally of 17 points.
Rehoboth scored four tries through Carl Freygang (two), Deevan Matthys and Jason Farmer, while Denver Beukes added two conversions.
