United savour NRU league triumph
FNB Unam missed out on an opportunity to win the 2019 rugby title in Windhoek over the weekend.
ANDREW POOLMAN
A brilliant fight back by Trustco United won them the 2019 Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) premier league title by a slender 44-22 margin at the Hage Geingob Stadium on Saturday night.
FNB Unam seemed firmly in control when they took a 42-25 lead with time on the clock running out.
Led by their inspirational lock Winmar Rust in his 160th and final match, United never gave up, though. The team in blue, known as the Philistines, scored a dramatic try off the final lineout of the match when flank Thomas Kali crashed over unmarked from a long throw, with Rust’s conversion providing the winning points.
It was cruel luck on the part of the young Unam team, who were never behind until the moments before the final whistle. Unam had another impressive season, finishing top of the log, while United ended in third place before shocking FNB Wanderers in the semi-final.
United were kept in the match through Rust’s trusty kicking to still be in contention at halftime (Unam 27 United 22). Rust eventually contributed 24 points (six penalties and three conversions), alongside the tries scored by Niël van Vuuren, Thomas Kali (2) and Morné Blaauw.
Unam scored tries through Lorenzo Louis, Sunday Haitembu, Simon Haitembu, Cameron Klassen and a penalty try (7 points). Kick points came from Lorenzo Louis (three conversions, one penalty) as well as Renier Benade (two penalties).
In contrast with previous seasons when national premier league winning clubs received no prize money at all, there were surprise handovers of cheques for N$100 000 to champions United as well as N$60 000 to runners-up Unam.
In the reserve league final, FNB Wanderers II scored a dominating 54-15 victory over Rehoboth II.
A brilliant fight back by Trustco United won them the 2019 Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) premier league title by a slender 44-22 margin at the Hage Geingob Stadium on Saturday night.
FNB Unam seemed firmly in control when they took a 42-25 lead with time on the clock running out.
Led by their inspirational lock Winmar Rust in his 160th and final match, United never gave up, though. The team in blue, known as the Philistines, scored a dramatic try off the final lineout of the match when flank Thomas Kali crashed over unmarked from a long throw, with Rust’s conversion providing the winning points.
It was cruel luck on the part of the young Unam team, who were never behind until the moments before the final whistle. Unam had another impressive season, finishing top of the log, while United ended in third place before shocking FNB Wanderers in the semi-final.
United were kept in the match through Rust’s trusty kicking to still be in contention at halftime (Unam 27 United 22). Rust eventually contributed 24 points (six penalties and three conversions), alongside the tries scored by Niël van Vuuren, Thomas Kali (2) and Morné Blaauw.
Unam scored tries through Lorenzo Louis, Sunday Haitembu, Simon Haitembu, Cameron Klassen and a penalty try (7 points). Kick points came from Lorenzo Louis (three conversions, one penalty) as well as Renier Benade (two penalties).
In contrast with previous seasons when national premier league winning clubs received no prize money at all, there were surprise handovers of cheques for N$100 000 to champions United as well as N$60 000 to runners-up Unam.
In the reserve league final, FNB Wanderers II scored a dominating 54-15 victory over Rehoboth II.
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