Affies triumph over brave Tsumeb in Super League final

ANDREW POOLMAN A dramatic late try after the hooter handed the first rugby team of KMC/JCC Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool the narrowest of wins over Rubicon Tsumeb Gymnasium on Saturday night, as Affies retained the Momentum U/19 Super League trophy for the second year.Windhoek Affies clinched a narrow 37-34 win over Tsumeb Gymnasium after finishing one league point behind the log-leading northern team during the regular season.Tsumeb took an early 10-0 lead thanks to a penalty by flyhalf Bothma Keyser, followed by a try by captain and Nr 8 WJ Otto, who broke away from a rolling maul to score in the right-hand corner.Affies flyhalf Keanu Engelbrecht showed his accuracy off the kicking tee to close the gap to 10-9 with three medium-range penalties.However, Tsumeb took a 15-9 lead into halftime, as a handling error deep in their own half by WAP was played from an offside position. This gave Tsumeb the platform for another impressive rolling maul from the lineout, from which prop Tinus van Wyk scored an unconverted try.Spectators were treated to an action-packed second half in which both teams simply refused to back down.The Affies’ reply within three minutes of the resumption showed exactly what coach Johan Zaayman’s team are capable of. The team in yellow and blue attacked down the blindside on the left with a sweeping move that saw great support play, before quicksilver fullback Jeandre Cloete linked up and changed the direction of his run to the right-hand side, where he sent over wing André Siepker in the corner.Engelbrecht succeeded with the tricky conversion, while his side also gained the numerical advantage as Tsumeb’s influential lock Pieter Daan Kok was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Siepker on the goal line.The Tsumeb forwards pack again played to their strength as they worked lock Izak Grobbelaar over for a try, following a determined run by WJ Otto that brought them within close range. Keyser’s missed conversion left his team ahead by 20-16.Another Keanu Engelbrecht penalty was followed by a superb Affies attack, led by flank and captain De Wet Oosthuizen, from which scrumhalf Louis Karsten set off on a sniping break to score a vital individual try.Engelbrecht’s conversion, followed by another successful penalty, put Affies ahead by 27-20, before the diehard Tsumeb team replied with two converted tries. WJ Otto scores his second of the match from a lineout drive, before flank Frikkie Engelbrecht was on hand to finish off after a great run by left wing Zander du Plessis.Centre Benjamin Boshoff took over the kicking duties from Keyser to land the latter two conversions and put Tsumeb ahead 34-27, with time running out.With only about a minute left on the clock, Engelbrecht brought Affies closer with his fifth penalty of the night. The Windhoek side put everything into their final attack, which led to Tsumeb replacement Ruan Pienaar being yellow-carded.With play only being kept alive by the penalties conceded under pressure by Tsumeb, Affies launched attack after attack from tap-kicks and progressed towards the Tsumeb goal line.After a stressful wait, the TV referee confirmed that Windhoek Affies scrumhalf Louis Karsten had scored the winning try to overtake Tsumeb’s lead of 34-30 with the final move of the match. The final pass came off the shoulder of one of the WAP forwards as he was tackled and bounced into Karsten’s hands, who quickly snuck through a gap for the try.Engelbrecht also landed the final conversion for Windhoek Affies, who had won the first national U-19 Super League title in the school’s history last year when they beat Windhoek Gymnasium.Tsumeb provided their travelling fans with full value as they delivered a stunning onslaught in their quest to win the first U-19 Super League trophy in its history.Keanu Engelbrecht was named the best backline player of the U-19 Super League final, and captain De Wet Oosthuizen (flank) was named best forward.Engelbrecht also clinched the overall best backline player of the Momentum finals weekend award, with Windhoek Gymnasium first-team flank Ivan Rittmann awarded as the most influential forward of the finals.BRONZE FINALThe Super League bronze final was won by Schoemans Group Windhoek Gymnasium, who beat Samsung Windhoek High School 32-24.Gymnasium were ahead 17-10 at halftime. The 2018 finalists scored tries by prop Ethan Thiart, hooker Shaun van Wyk, flank Ethan Rittmann, number 8 Zander Bronkhorst and right wing Luan Isaack. Flyhalf Cornez Liebenberg added five kicking points and centre Samuel Poulton one conversion.On the WHS side, wing Patrick Karsten, replacement wing Dylan Denyschen and prop Iyambo Tshuuya were the try scorers, while outstanding fullback Geraldo Beukes added three conversions and a penalty.MORIA WINS U-19 A LEAGUEThe U-19A league trophy went to OK Foods Moria Private School from Outjo, who prevailed in another tough contest against PSG Pro-Ed (35-30).Moria flyhalf DJ Holtzhausen, who scored a try, two penalties and three conversions, was awarded the overall best player of the finals weekend. His brother, centre Niel Holtzhausen, as well as wings Louis Burger and Brave Shipanga, scored tries for the Outjo side. Pro-Ed’s captain, centre Donell Gonteb, was also outstanding, scoring three tries alongside one by his midfield partner Michael Tjazerua. Flyhalf Godwin Silvanus succeeded with two penalties and two conversions.

Affies triumph over brave Tsumeb in Super League final

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-06

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Affies triumph over brave Tsumeb in Super League final

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-06

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