THE Leopards completely outplayed a second string Welwitschias team at the Hage Geingob Stadium on Saturday, to win their SuperSport Rugby Challenge match 81-8.
The Leopards opened their account after only two minutes and by half time they were already leading 50-0. They took their foot off the pedal in the second half, but still ran in a total of 13 tries to complete a one-sided drubbing.
Leopards left wing Eugene Hare scored three tries and centre Evardi Boshoff two, while fly half Schalk Hugo added 16 points with the boot.
Their other try scorers were Muziwandile Mazibuko, Morne Moos, Lungelo Gosa, Gustav du Rand, Andre Fouche, Bradley Moolman, Keagan Tait and Wilmar Groenewald.
For Namibia, flanker Uazikamisa Mieze scored a try while fly half Henrique Olivier added a penalty.
With Namibia’s first choice players not available due to their departure to the Nations Cup tournament in Uruguay this week, a new squad of 31 players was put together for the Welwitschias’ final three matches in the SuperSport Challenge.
They only had two days of training ahead of the match and it showed as the team failed to gel, while numerous basic handling errors also contributed to their downfall.
Playing an expansive, attacking game, the Leopards got off to a great start when Hare broke through the Welwitschias’ defence to send flanker Muziwandile Mazibuko over for the opening try after only two minutes.
Centre Evardi Boshoff soon scored the second after a break by 12, and then made their third try with a grubber kick that was dotted down by Hare.
Flanker Morne Moos was the next to score when he ran 50 metres to dive over under the posts, and after only 19 minuted the Leopards were already leading 24-0.
The few times that the Welwitschias gained possession their efforts were hampered by poor options and handling errors, while the Leopards fed off their mistakes.
The Welwitschias came close to scoring when Ruan Ludik and Henrique Olivier were both held up on the line, but the Leopards gained possession and launched a spectacular counterattack from their own line, before right wing Lungelo Gosa finished it off with a try under the posts.
Further tries by hooker Gustav du Rand, Hare and Boshoff followed in quick succession as the visitors took a commanding 50-3 lead into the break.
Hare scored his third try early in the second half, but the Welwitschias put up a more determined display and after bashing away at the Leopards’ try line, flanker Uazikamisa Mieze finally dotted down.
That was their only try though as the Leopards soon regained their stride, scoring a further four tries through eighthman Andre Fouche, centre Bradley Moolman, wing Keagan Tait and flanker Wilmar Groenewald to complete a one-sided romp.
After the match, Welwitschias captain JC Winkler said their lack of preparation time contributed to their poor performance.
“We only had two days to prepare so we are still trying to find each other, but I’m looking forward to our next match against the Pumas when we’ll have more time to prepare.”
The result leaves the Welwitschias rooted to the bottom of the North Section log on zero points, while the Leopards now move up to fourth place on 11 points.
