Welwitschias fade against SA Universities

NAMIBIA’S national rugby team, the Welwitschias, gave a poor performance before going down 32-20 against a South African Universities side at the Hage Geingob Stadium on Saturday.

Namibia held the visitors at bay in the first half with some resolute defence and went into halftime trailing 8-6. But poor defending and lapses in concentration in the second half saw the Universities team being gifted some easy tries, to race into a 22-6 lead.Namibia managed to reduce the deficit to 25-13, but then once again let in a soft try to end up comprehensively beaten.Namibia’s forwards gave a great display, winning a lot of possession from the set pieces, defending resolutely and pushing the visitors back at will in the scrums.Namibia’s backs, however, undid all their forwards’ good work through poor options and some dreadful handling errors that saw several try scoring opportunities going to waste.Namibia’s flyhalf TC Losper and the Universities’ scrumhalf Jan Tiedt traded early penalties before Losper put Namibia ahead with another penalty in the 28th minute.Their lead was short-lived, however, as the Universities side struck back with a try by right wing Ziniko Dumuphili after a full backline movement barely three minutes later, to take an 8-6 lead at halftime.A LITANY OF ERRORS The Universities increased their lead to 15-6 shortly after the restart when flyhalf Michael Killian broke through some flimsy defending to score a try, converted by Tiedt.The match degenerated into a litany of errors as both backlines knocked the ball on, but the visitors’ fullback Jonathan Francke caught Namibia’s defence flatfooted with a swift counterattack that led to scrumhalf Tiedt’s try in the 54th minute.Tiedt added the conversion to stretch the visitors’ lead to 22-6.Namibia immediately attacked from the restart, with scrumhalf Jurie van Tonder driving too close to the tryline.The Universities side defended desperately, but after incessant pressure flanker Jacques Nieuwenhuis finally went over for a try, converted by Losper to make the score 2-13.Tiedt however put the Universities 25-13 ahead with a penalty, and although Namibia once again camped on the visitors’ tryline, they couldn’t get past some resolute defending.A lapse of concentration saw the Universities escape with a quick counter-attack that led to Namibian-born replacement wing Rowan Walters’ try in the left hand corner, with Tiedt once again converting.In injury time Namibian wing Ryan Witbooi went over for a try, converted by Losper, but it was all over by then and SA Universities held out for a comfortable win.Namibia’s forwards did a great job, with Kees Lensing adding power to the pack, Wacca Kazombiaze and Nico Esterhuizen wining a lot of lineout ball, and eighthman Tinus du Plessis winning the Player of the Match award with a fine all-round display.The backs, however, were dreadful and a lot of work needs to be done here, if they want to be competitive at the World Cup.www.namibiasport.com.naBut poor defending and lapses in concentration in the second half saw the Universities team being gifted some easy tries, to race into a 22-6 lead.Namibia managed to reduce the deficit to 25-13, but then once again let in a soft try to end up comprehensively beaten.Namibia’s forwards gave a great display, winning a lot of possession from the set pieces, defending resolutely and pushing the visitors back at will in the scrums.Namibia’s backs, however, undid all their forwards’ good work through poor options and some dreadful handling errors that saw several try scoring opportunities going to waste.Namibia’s flyhalf TC Losper and the Universities’ scrumhalf Jan Tiedt traded early penalties before Losper put Namibia ahead with another penalty in the 28th minute.Their lead was short-lived, however, as the Universities side struck back with a try by right wing Ziniko Dumuphili after a full backline movement barely three minutes later, to take an 8-6 lead at halftime.A LITANY OF ERRORS The Universities increased their lead to 15-6 shortly after the restart when flyhalf Michael Killian broke through some flimsy defending to score a try, converted by Tiedt.The match degenerated into a litany of errors as both backlines knocked the ball on, but the visitors’ fullback Jonathan Francke caught Namibia’s defence flatfooted with a swift counterattack that led to scrumhalf Tiedt’s try in the 54th minute.Tiedt added the conversion to stretch the visitors’ lead to 22-6.Namibia immediately attacked from the restart, with scrumhalf Jurie van Tonder driving too close to the tryline.The Universities side defended desperately, but after incessant pressure flanker Jacques Nieuwenhuis finally went over for a try, converted by Losper to make the score 2-13.Tiedt however put the Universities 25-13 ahead with a penalty, and although Namibia once again camped on the visitors’ tryline, they couldn’t get past some resolute defending.A lapse of concentration saw the Universities escape with a quick counter-attack that led to Namibian-born replacement wing Rowan Walters’ try in the left hand corner, with Tiedt once again converting.In injury time Namibian wing Ryan Witbooi went over for a try, converted by Losper, but it was all over by then and SA Universities held out for a comfortable win.Namibia’s forwards did a great job, with Kees Lensing adding power to the pack, Wacca Kazombiaze and Nico Esterhuizen wining a lot of lineout ball, and eighthman Tinus du Plessis winning the Player of the Match award with a fine all-round display.The backs, however, were dreadful and a lot of work needs to be done here, if they want to be competitive at the World Cup.www.namibiasport.com.na