Wanderers close in on Unam 

FNB Wanderers beat old foes Trustco United 18-15 to close the gap on FNB Unam at the top of the Windhoek Lager Rugby Premier League log. 

In a tremendous forward battle, both teams displayed great defence and some big tackles, while scoring chances were few and far between. Both sides scored two tries, but Wanderers’ flyhalf Geraldo Beukes added a penalty, a conversion and a drop goal to swing the match Wanderers’ way. 

United applied the early pressure, pushing Wanderers back at the first scrum, while a drop goal attempt by flyhalf Hanreco van Zyl hit the post. Van Zyl soon opened their account when he put over a penalty, but Wanderers weathered the early storm and took the lead when eighthman Driaan Vorster went over in the corner from a driving maul.

United came storming back, pounding away at Wanderers’ tryline, with JD Nel and lock Warren Marais both coming close to scoring, but Wanderers’ defence stood firm and they increased their lead to 12-3 when leftwing Jurgen van Wyk went over in the corner and Beukes added a great conversion from the touchline.

The momentum swung back United’s way as they won a penalty, but Van Zyl’s kick went wide, while United eighthman Rudi Pieters nearly scored from a forward driving maul just before the halftime break. 

Wanderers stretched their lead to 15-3 after a great drop goal by Beukes early in the second half, while prop Ignus Tripodi nearly scored from a driving maul.

United finally opened their try scoring account when Nel sent rightwing Edgar Beuthin away to touch down in the corner, but Wanderers soon stretched their lead to 18-8 when Beukes put over a great penalty from the halfway line.

United put Wanderers under tremendous pressure in the closing stages, and Nel finally went over for a try converted by scrumhalf Jahno du Plessis, but it was too little too late as Wanderers held on for a narrow win.

The win put Wanderers on 57 points – only four behind Unam, while United are now fifth on 32 – just one point behind FNB Grootfontein who suffered a narrow 25-21 defeat to FNB Kudus at Walvis Bay. 

Grootfontein scored three tries through centre Niel Holtzhausen and substitutes Saari Uugwanga and Ian Malan, while rightwing Uroel Marais added three conversions. 

Kudus scored four tries through flanker Ja-Tamson van den Berg (two), fullback Irongwa Atshivudhi and eighthman Joshua Jacobs, while flyhalf Aurelio Plato added a conversion and a penalty. 

The win puts Kudus on 52 points in third place and they are now virtually assured of making the semifinals. 

Reho Falcon, meanwhile, collected maximum points as they scored seven tries in a 47-15 victory against Simonis Storm Dolphins to join United on 32 points. 

Falcons’ try scorers were Shaun Mouton, Nando Dentlinger, Dillon Kahmann, Cameron Marcus, Gashwell Majiedt, Tony Isaacs and Franklin Busch, while Enrique Husselmann added three conversions, Ashton van Wyk two, and Majiedt one.

For Dolphins Kapurua Tjiriange scored two tries and Nathan Isaacs a conversion and a penalty. 

FNB Rehoboth stunned Western Suburbs with a 43-28 victory at Suburbs Park to move up to sixth position. 

Rehoboth scored four tries through Manfred Garoeb (two), Duante Beukes and Digo Ashipala, while Miquel Busch converted all four and added five penalties for a personal tally of 23 points.

Suburbs scored  four tries through Morgan Esterhuizen, Jayden Links, Namene Halweendu and Dumarcho Hartung, while Elmarco Beukes added two penalties and Dwayne van Zyl one conversion. 

In women’s rugby matches, United beat Wanderers 37-19, while Coastal Rugby beat Rehoboth 41-19. 

Unam still lead the log on 58 points, followed by United on 39, Rehoboth on 21, Wanderers on 16, Oceans on 6 and Grootfontein on -12.