UNITED beat Unam 38-23 at the Unam field on Saturday to stay at the top of the Namibian Club Rugby Premier League log.
United and Wanderers were previously tied at the top of the log with 19 points each, but Saturday’s win sees United moving five points clear at the top of the log, after they also collected a bonus point for scoring five tries or more. It was a better performance by Unam, who lost 77-13 to United in the first round of the competition, but in the end United won comfortably, despite being one man down for most of the match.Their captain, flanker Herman Lintvelt, received a red card in the 28th minute for back chatting to the referee but United’s heavier pack still managed to dominate the scrums.With lock Wacca Kazombuaie excelling in the line-outs and forward exchanges and flanker Michael Mckenzie poaching the loose balls, United had the most possession, of which their swift backline made good use.Unam took the lead through a penalty by flyhalf Mark Bezuidenhout, but United went ahead in the 20th minute through a try by flyhalf Morne Schreuder in the corner, which he expertly converted from the touchline.Bezuidenhout landed another penalty and Unam then took the lead after Lintvelt’s dismissal when lock Hilmer Junius went over for an unconverted try in the 28th minute.Five minutes later, however, United were back in front when fullback Neil Swanepoel scored an unconverted try in the corner after a swift backline move.United stretched their lead a minute into the second half when flanker McKenzie broke over from a scrum, with Schreuder adding the conversion to make the score 19-11.Unam came back through an unconverted try by eighthman Willem Koopman, after a blindside break by wing Bruce Isaacks, but United went further ahead through a try by right wing Christo Smit, converted by Schreuder.United were now firmly in control and Kazombuaie went over for a well-deserved try, converted by Schreuder to make the score 33-16.United scrumhalf Jurie van Tonder added a final unconverted try, but Unam managed a consolation try by flanker Shaun Fourie, converted by Bezuidenhout in the final minute.FALCONS BEAT SUBURBS For United, Kazombuaie and Mckenzie stood out amongst the forwards, while Schreuder, centre Du Preez Grobler and their hard-running right wing Christo Smit stood out amongst the backs.For Unam their eighthman Willem Koopman never gave up, while Bezuidenhout had a fine tactical game, although his place kicking was not up to scratch.In another Premier League match in Rehoboth, Reho Falcons staged a fine comeback to beat Western Suburbs 33-28.Suburbs streaked into an early 20-7 lead and by halftime were still firmly in control at 20-14.They however seemed to run out of steam after the break and a determined fightback by Falcons saw them snatching victory in the end.Falcons’ try scorers were prop Morris Kapitako with two tries, eighthman Shaun van Rooi, flyhalf Melrick Africa and flank Deon Pieters.Fullback Heini Bock added three conversions and Melrick Africa one.Suburbs’ try scorers were wing Ryan Witbooi with two tries and centre Roger Thompson.Wing McGrath van Wyk added two conversions and three penalties.Falcons collected five points for the win, and Suburbs two points, for losing by less than seven points.The result means that both clubs now join Wanderers on 19 points in second position behind United.- namibiasport.com.naIt was a better performance by Unam, who lost 77-13 to United in the first round of the competition, but in the end United won comfortably, despite being one man down for most of the match.Their captain, flanker Herman Lintvelt, received a red card in the 28th minute for back chatting to the referee but United’s heavier pack still managed to dominate the scrums.With lock Wacca Kazombuaie excelling in the line-outs and forward exchanges and flanker Michael Mckenzie poaching the loose balls, United had the most possession, of which their swift backline made good use.Unam took the lead through a penalty by flyhalf Mark Bezuidenhout, but United went ahead in the 20th minute through a try by flyhalf Morne Schreuder in the corner, which he expertly converted from the touchline.Bezuidenhout landed another penalty and Unam then took the lead after Lintvelt’s dismissal when lock Hilmer Junius went over for an unconverted try in the 28th minute.Five minutes later, however, United were back in front when fullback Neil Swanepoel scored an unconverted try in the corner after a swift backline move.United stretched their lead a minute into the second half when flanker McKenzie broke over from a scrum, with Schreuder adding the conversion to make the score 19-11.Unam came back through an unconverted try by eighthman Willem Koopman, after a blindside break by wing Bruce Isaacks, but United went further ahead through a try by right wing Christo Smit, converted by Schreuder.United were now firmly in control and Kazombuaie went over for a well-deserved try, converted by Schreuder to make the score 33-16.United scrumhalf Jurie van Tonder added a final unconverted try, but Unam managed a consolation try by flanker Shaun Fourie, converted by Bezuidenhout in the final minute. FALCONS BEAT SUBURBS For United, Kazombuaie and Mckenzie stood out amongst the forwards, while Schreuder, centre Du Preez Grobler and their hard-running right wing Christo Smit stood out amongst the backs.For Unam their eighthman Willem Koopman never gave up, while Bezuidenhout had a fine tactical game, although his place kicking was not up to scratch.In another Premier League match in Rehoboth, Reho Falcons staged a fine comeback to beat Western Suburbs 33-28.Suburbs streaked into an early 20-7 lead and by halftime were still firmly in control at 20-14.They however seemed to run out of steam after the break and a determined fightback by Falcons saw them snatching victory in the end.Falcons’ try scorers were prop Morris Kapitako with two tries, eighthman Shaun van Rooi, flyhalf Melrick Africa and flank Deon Pieters.Fullback Heini Bock added three conversions and Melrick Africa one.Suburbs’ try scorers were wing Ryan Witbooi with two tries and centre Roger Thompson.Wing McGrath van Wyk added two conversions and three penalties.Falcons collected five points for the win, and Suburbs two points, for losing by less than seven points.The result means that both clubs now join Wanderers on 19 points in second position behind United.- namibiasport.com.na
