Kudus rampant as Wanderers go top

FNB Wanderers went to the top of the Namibia Rugby Premier League log after beating arch-rivals FNB Unam 35-20 on Friday, while FNB Kudus registered a record-breaking tally of over 70 points against FNB Reho Falcon in pulsating action over the weekend.

Despite losing to United the previous week, Kudus’ supporters are confident that their team, who were knocked out in last year’s semi-finals by Unam, can claim the crown in 2023.

The Kudus were dominant in every aspect of match at Walvis Bay’s Jan Wilken Stadium, as they overwhelmed a hapless Falcon.

Unrelenting from the onset, the Kudus piled on the points at will to secure their historic victory and move up to third on the log on seven points.

Kudus ran in a total of 11 tries, with eighthman Joshua Jacobs scoring two, while flyhalf Geraldo Beukes added 12 points with the boot.

Their captain, Joshua Jacobs, attributed the decisive win to excellent teamwork, calling it “a good team effort.”

Falcons’ captain Brendon Dentlinger acknowledged the match as a valuable learning experience for his young team.

“We are building ourselves from strength to strength,” he said.

Kudus next travel to Windhoek to take on Wanderers, who on Friday evening started like a house on fire, as hooker Darius von Solms went over for two early tries.

He first crashed over from an impressive rolling maul, and then finished off an attack in the right-hand corner, and with fullback Denzo Bruwer converting they went 12-0 ahead.

Bruwer maintained Wanderers’ territorial advantage with his booming boot, adding two penalties, while Unam flyhalf Aljerreau Zaahk opened their account with a penalty to put Wanderers 18-3 ahead at the half-time break.

Unam, however, staged a great recovery in the second half with substitute back Tonderai Ndudzo dotting down for a converted try, while flanker Berry Gande intercepted and ran 50m for a try behind the posts.

With Bruwer and Zaahl trading penalties, it was still anyone’s game as Wanderers held a narrow 21-20 lead 15 minutes into the second half.

Wanderers, however, stepped up the pressure to run out comfortable winners.

Rightwing Nandivatu Karuuombe turned on the pace to finish off a try initiated and converted by Bruwer, and when leftwing Warren Ludwig went over for another converted try they were suddenly 35-20 ahead.

Unam attacked furiously in the final stages with Gande and rightwing Paulus Hangula both coming close to scoring, but Wanderers held on for their second successive win to go to the top of the log on 11 points.

Trustco United went second on nine points after beating FNB Grootfontein 42-12 away at Grootfontein.

United ran in four tries with captain and flanker Eloff du Plessis and hooker Gerhard Thirion each scoring two, while fullback Renier Benade added 17 points with the boot, with four conversions and three penalties.

For Groofontein, leftwing Ian Malan scored a try and conversion, while eighthman Tehan Martinson scored a try.

Unam and FNB Western Suburbs are fourth and fifth on the log with six points each, while FNB Rehoboth moved up to five points after beating Suburbs 32-17 at Rehoboth.

For Rehoboth centre Nando Dentlinger and leftwing Kee-Shaan Beukes scored two tries each, while scrumhalf Miguel Busch added 12 points with the boot.

Suburbs scored two tries through rightwing Jayden Links and flanker Richard Mupewa, while flyhalf Bronwon Willemse added two conversions and fullback Ricardo Swartz a penalty.