FNB Wanderers regained the lead in the Namibian Rugby Premier League after a great weekend’s action that saw all four Round 10 matches going down to the wire.
Wanderers beat FNB Kudus 17-15, Trustco United edged Rehoboth 30-28, FNB Western Suburbs held on for a thrilling 34-33 victory against FNB Unam, and FNB Grootfontein just beat FNB Reho Falcon 45-44.
In a top of the log clash at Walvis Bay, Wanderers pipped Kudus 17-15 to regain the lead in the title race.
In a close encounter, Wanderers scored two tries through lock Johan Meyer and centre DJ Holtzhausen, while flyhalf Eugene Jantjies converted both and added a penalty.
Kudus also scored two tries through lock Tertius Arangies and rightwing Ronaldo Diergaardt, but fullback Geraldo Beukescould only convert one, while he added a penalty to hand Wanderers a narrow victory.
The result puts Wanderers back on top of the log on 42 points from 10 matches, while Kudus move down to second place on 39 points.
United are just one point behind in third place after a hard-fought 30-28 away victory against Rehoboth.
Lock forward Thehard Lintvelt was United’s star player, scoring three tries; scrumhalf Jahno du Plessis added a fourth, and fullback Renier Benade contributed 10 points through two conversions and two penalties.
Rehoboth scored three tries through rightwing Keathan Freygang, centre Nando Dentlinger and flanker Chase Diergaardt, while flyhalf Henrique Olivier added two conversions and three penalties.
The defeat leaves Rehoboth in sixth place on the log on 21 points.
At the Unam Stadium, Western Suburbs pipped Unam 34-33 in a thriller to remain fourth on the log on 29 points and strengthen their claims for a semifinal spot.
Unam outscored Suburbs by four tries to three, but they made too many mistakes and were made to pay by Suburbs scrumhalf Bronwon Willemse who added 16 points with the boot, through two conversions and four penalties.
Suburbs took a 28-20 halftime lead, but Unam attacked furiously after the break, and could have won the match after a last minute try by Des Sethie, but Zaahl’s conversion went wide as Suburbs celebrated a dramatic victory.
Suburbs’ try scorers were Dhale Cloete, Justin Nel and Ronald Vogel, while Nel added a penalty.
Unam’s other try scorers were Shareave Titus, Rowan Jansen and Graham April, while Zaahl added 10 points with the boot, and Raschano van Rooi one drop goal.
At Grootfontein, the home side also pulled off a narrow 45-44 victory against Reho Falcon.
Grootfontein scored seven tries through Buruxa Geiseb (two), Ian Grobbelaar, Marthinus Nekundi, Oliver Mouton, Renard Hattingh and Frederik Engelbrecht, while Ronald Deck added three conversions and Jan Breedt two.
For Falcons, Dillan Kahmann scored three tries and Keynnen Basson and Prince January one each, while Enrique Olivier scored 19 points with the boot.
