United strengthen title credentials

Trustco United maintained their unbeaten start to the Namibia Rugby Premier League season with an impressive 44-24 victory against FNB Unam on Friday night to remain the surprise early pace-setters. 

In other matches, FNB Wanderers beat FNB Grootfontein 25-23 in a thriller at Grootfontein, FNB Kudus beat FNB Western Suburbs 41-10 at Walvis Bay, and FNB Rehoboth beat FNB Reho Falcon 34-32 at Rehoboth. 

United now lead the log on 19 points, followed by Wanderers on 16, Kudus on 13, Suburbs and Rehoboth on 10 each, Unam on seven, Reho Falcon on six and Grootfontein on four points. 

On Friday night United gave a fine all-round performance to suggest that they could be worthy contenders in this season’s title race. 

Prop forward Johan Brockman opened United’s acount from a driving forward maul, while fullback Renier Benade added the conversion and a penalty to put them 10-0 ahead midway through the first half. 

Unam opened their account after centre Peace Shimwino cut through the backline to score a fine try, but United were soon on the attack again and went further ahead when hooker Gerhard Thirion went over after concerted pressure on Unam’s tryline. Benade added the conversion as well as a penalty to put United in the driving seat with a 20-5 lead at halftime. 

A great run by United captain Eloff du Plessis led to flanker Freddy Mazila’s try early in the second half, but Unam struck back with a try by scrumhalf Cameron Klaassen to reduce the deficit to 27-12. 

United stretched their lead to 34-12 after a great try by scrumhalf Jahno du Plessis, who broke blind from a scrum and ran 40m to dot down, but Unam came storming back with two tries to narrow the gap to 34-24. 

Flanker Berry Gande first broke through two tackles to go over in the corner, while lock Bjorn Kazundunge crashed over after concerted pressure by Unam’s forwards. 

United, however, finished stronger, with Benade putting over a penalty to put them 37-24 ahead, and then converting a late try by prop Jano Otto to give them a comfortable 44-24 victory. 

Wanderers, meanwhile, stayed second after a narrow 25-23 victory away to Grootfontein, who outscored Wanderers two tries to one, but Wanderers’ fullback Denzo Bruwer was the match winner, contributing 20 points with the boot. 

After Wanderers took a 6-3 lead at halftime, the game sprang into life after the break. Grootfontein took a 10-6 lead through a try by flanker Hendrik vanZyl, but Wanderers regained the lead at 13-10 after a converted try by Tshuuya Iyambo. Two more Bruwer penalties put Wanderers 19-13 ahead, but Grootfontein once again regained the lead after a converted try by prop Henning Joubert put them 20-19 ahead. 

In the exciting closing stages the lead still changed hands a few times before Bruwer sealed Wanderers’ win with another penalty. 

FNB Kudus remained third on the log after a comprehensive 41-10 home victory against Western Suburbs at Walvis Bay, while the Rehoboth derby produced a thriller, with Rehoboth pipping Reho Falcon 34-32.