Kudus determined to bounce back 

FNB Kudus are determined to get back to their winning ways in the JSB Gold Cup when they host FNB Unam at Walvis Bay tomorrow.

The defending premier league champions suffered a 50-38 defeat away to FNB Wanderers last weekend, dropping down to third position on the log on seven points, behind Wanderers (12) and Unam (10), but their director of rugby, Roger Thompson, says they are determined to regain their winning streak.

“We are very disappointed with the substandard performance we delivered against Wanderers last weekend. As a group, we know what we’re capable of, and that was definitely way below our standards – especially in terms of how we started the game.

“In the first half hour, we allowed Wanderers to completely dominate in most areas of the game, so this week’s mindset will obviously be to start accurately,” he says.

“We have most of our players back, and we’re definitely looking forward to this fixture, which is a make-or-break fixture for us at this stage of the competition. If we look at the log standings, it’s a very important one for us, and we will approach each remaining game as if it is a knockout match,” Thompson says.

“We know the importance of this match, and mentally our players are switched on, because that’s what honesty does. That’s what hard and difficult confrontational conversations do within a camp. They align the focus to achieve the outcome, so our focus will definitely be on getting the result on Saturday,” he says.

Unam have shown improvement in the Gold Cup after a mediocre campaign in the Premier League when they failed to make the knockout stages. They beat FNB Grootfontein (40-35) and Trustco United (33-29) in their opening two matches to go second on the log and will be keen to continue their winning streak against Kudus, although coach Russel van Rooi says it will be tough.

“I’m of the opinion that the Gold Cup was created for us to give our young players an opportunity to showcase their talents and maturity to play in the premier league next year,” he says.

“The match against Kudus will certainly not be easy as they are the defending premier league champions, which is the highest competition of the Namibia Rugby Union. So it will be tough, it will be a hostile environment to play in their backyard, and they will have great support and the crowd behind them,” Van Rooi says.

Unam have had a good record at the coast in recent years, having beaten Kudus 35-22 last year and 20-13 in 2023, but they can expect a tough encounter tomorrow, as Van Rooi reiterates.

“For the past two years, we haven’t lost there, but it will definitely be a hard game, and it will be very physical as well. But we are looking forward to it – to travel and for the boys to bond and do their best,” he says.

In other matches tomorrow, Wanderers will travel north to take on Grootfontein, who are fourth on the log with seven points, while United, who are bottom of the log with only one point, host FNB Rehoboth, who are just one point above them.

With only six teams competing in the Gold Cup, there won’t be any semi-final knockout matches, but a straight final between the two teams finishing at the top of the log at the end of the round-robin league stage.

With only three rounds remaining, Wanderers and Unam have the inside lane, but Kudus and Grootfontein are still in the hunt, while even Rehoboth and United have a mathematical chance to reach the final, although it’s highly unlikely.

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