Rugby league rumbles on 

The early pacesetters in the Windhoek Lager Rugby Premier League, FNB Unam and FNB Wanderers both face tough encounters, while FNB Kudus will be aiming to close the gap on them in Round 8 matches tomorrow. 

Unam, who lead the log on 37 points, are the only unbeaten team left in the league and last weekend notched up their seventh consecutive win in style with a 57-11 victory against FNB Westen Suburbs. 

Playing their trademark free-flowing, counter-attacking game, they ran in nine tries, with their speedy winger Quirione Majiedt scoring four and eighthman Handre Bezuidenhout two. 

Tomorrow, however, they can expect a tougher test when they travel to Rehoboth to take on FNB Reho Falcon. 

Falcons, perennial strugglers in the premier league, have been in great form this season, and last week pulled off another stunning upset when they beat FNB Grootfontein 19-17 away.

Flanker Dilhon Daries and scrumhalf Dillon Kahmann scored their tries, while Aston van Wyk added two penalties and Franklin Busch one, as they edged Grootfontein in a thriller. 

That strengthened their position in fifth position on the log on 20 points, and they are now within touching distance of fourth-placed Grootfontein (23 points) and even third-placed FNB Kudus (25 points). 

Unam, with their powerful pack and potent backline should start as the favourites, but Falcons have shown that they cannot be written off this season.

Falcons’ encounter against Grootfontein was, however, soured by a disgraceful incident of a Grootfontein player attacking the referee, and after a video clip of the incident was widely shared on social media, the president of the Namibia Rugby Union, Petri Theron condemned the incident and said that steps will be taken. 

“The board of the Namibia Rugby Union has taken note of an incident this past Saturday when a rugby player physically abused a match official in the match between Grootfontein and Reho Falcons. This conduct is truly shocking and unacceptable. The Namibia Rugby Union, like World Rugby, has a zero tolerance policy against the abuse of match officials. This will be investigated and steps will be taken,” he said. 

Grootfontein, have had a fine season, with their captain Wicus Jacobs in great form, but they face a tough encounter when they travel to Windhoek to take on Wanderers, who are currently second on the log on 33 points. 

Wanderers have only lost one match all season – when they went down 30-17 to Unam in the opening match of the season, but since then they have gone on the warpath with some big wins against Falcons (73-21) and Simonis Storm Dolphin (89-5) along the way. 

Grootfontein, who beat Rehoboth and United in their opening home matches, also posted an impressive 57-28 win away to Suburbs, but Wanderers on their home turf at Pionierspark will be a different matter. 

FNB Kudus, who will be refreshed after an off weekend, travel to Windhoek to take on Suburbs and will be aiming for maximum points to close the gap on the leaders. Kudus are currently third on 25 points – eight behind Wanderers and 12 behind Unam, while Suburbs are second last on seven points. 

Trustco United host Rehoboth at the United ground in Olympia, with both teams struggling so far and in need of points. There’s not much that separates them on the log, with United sixth on 15 points and Rehoboth seventh on 14, and tomorrow’s encounter could be another close affair.