United, Falcon in draw

REHO Falcon made a fine comeback to hold United to a 26-all draw in an MTC Rugby Premier League match at United’s home ground in Olympia on Saturday. United seemed to be on course for victory when they took a 26-16 lead midway through the second half, but two tries in the final 10 minutes gave Reho Falcon a share of the spoils.

After Melrick Africa and Winmar Rust traded early penalties, Falcons’ veteran fullback Ronaldo Pedro intercepted a throw in and raced through to score under the posts. With Africa adding the conversion Falcon went 10-3 ahead.
United were soon on level terms when right wing Willie Junius scored after a fine backline movement. Rust added a fine conversion from touch to put the teams level at 10-all.
Two more Rust penalties and one by Africa left the game delicately poised at 16-13 in United’s favour at halftime.
Africa drew Reho Falcon level with a penalty, but United struck back through a try by centre Du Preez Grobler, when he went over after a United freekick close to Falcons’ tryline. Herman Lintvelt took a quick tap, before the ball sped down the backline for Grobler to go over for the try.
Rust missed the conversion, but United stretched their lead to 26-16 when scrumhalf Riaan Vermaak went over after picking up from a scrum on Falcons’ line.
Reho Falcon regrouped and came back strongly with two tries.
Melrick Africa launched a counterattack from within his own 25m line and passed to centre Luwayne Kotzee who kicked ahead and beat United’s cover defence to touch down.
With five minutes remaining flanker Gert de Waal popped up in the backline, and kicked ahead over United’s defence to dot the ball down.
Flyhalf Attie du Plessis took over the kicking duties after Melrick Africa injured his knee, but missed both conversion attempts to leave the match tied at 26-all.
In other results over the weekend, log leaders Western Suburbs lost their first points of the season when they were held to a 13-all draw by Kudus in Walvis Bay.
At the United field on Friday, Rehoboth beat Unam 27-23 in a tight encounter.
Wanderers thrashed Jaguars 101-8 at Jaguars’ Augustineum field. – www.namibiasport.com.