The top teams in the Namibia Rugby Premier League will all face each other this weekend, as the title race starts to take shape.
Log leaders FNB Wanderers face a tough away trip to second-placed FNB Grootfontein, while the defending champions FNB Kudus will be hoping to close in on the leaders when they visit third-placed Trustco United.
Wanderers started their campaign with a close 27-24 win against United, but last weekend they hit top gear in a 87-19 home win against FNB Dolphins, scoring 13 tries in the process.
That put them at the top of the log on 10 points, just ahead of Grootfontein on points difference.
Their flyhalf Wiks Tromp had a great game, scoring one try and 10 conversions, while scrumhalf Reben Botha was a constant threat around the base of the scrum.
They have lost a few of their stalwarts from last season but still have a strong side with players like Edward Drotsky, Ruan Ludick and Kistings Minyoi making an impression in the pack, while speedsters abound in the backline with the likes of Tareekuje Tjipute, Rayeez Feris and Ethan Sinden.
Grootfontein, however, have also started off strongly, beating Unam 35-30 at home and Western Suburbs 41-17 away, and will be a tough nut to crack on their home turf.
Last year they beat Wanderers 37-32 to win the inaugural JSB Gold Cup and with a strong pack including national players Wicus Jacobs, Pieter Luttig and Nelius Theron they will fancy their chances of another win.
Kudus, meanwhile, travel to the capital to take on third-placed United (seven points), and will be aiming to narrow the gap on the leaders. They are fourth on six points, but have a match in hand on the leaders after having only played one match – a comfortable 45-20 win against Rehoboth.
They boast a strong pack with players like Adriaan Ludick, Sheron Rossouw, Ja-Tamson van der Berg and Lezardo Vos, and an experenced backline with the likes of Aston Mukwiilongo, Justin Newman, Aurelio Plato and Denzo Bruwer and might have too much firepower for United, who are in a rebuilding phase.
They have quite a young backline with the likes of Jurgen Meyer, Suramie Kambombo and Enrique Husselmann, but they have a strong pack while loose-forwards Thehard Lintvelt and Ben Burger have been in fine form and amongst the tries, with the latter scoring four against Rehoboth.
In other matches, FNB Dolphins will aim to get back to winning ways when they host FNB Rehoboth at the coast, while FNB Reho Falcon host FNB Western Suburbs in a bottom-of-the-log clash at Rehoboth.
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