Unam rallies to comeback win

Wanderers back in top spot
The student team took more than half an hour to get on the scoreboard, but their opportunism and accelerated late tempo earned them a convincing 44-17 win.
Andrew Poolman
Former champions and 2022 beaten finalists FNB Unam displayed their institutionalised big-match temperament in responding to huge early pressure from hosts FNB Grootfontein on Saturday.

The student team took more than half an hour to get on the scoreboard while Grootfontein had taken a 12-0 lead, but their opportunism and accelerated late tempo earned them a convincing 44-17 win in the Namibia Rugby Union’s Premier League.

Tries by scrumhalf Christopher Deck and centre Buruxa Geiseb, the first converted by fullback Ronnie Deck, got Grootfontein off to a flying start.



Vital work

Unam were destroyed in every scrum by the bulky 920-plus kg Grootfontein starting pack, but the Windhoek side’s skill, tactical game management and experience at moving the ball to the wider channels systematically drained the northern side’s energy levels.

Unam scrumhalf AJ Kearns put them on the board after 36 minutes with a try from close range. Just before half-time, a vital stolen turn over from multiple Grootfontein phases led to rightwing speedster Shareave Titus racing away from within his own half to land a body blow with a diving try in the corner. Raschano van Rooi (flyhalf) landed the two conversions, and Unam led 14-12 at half-time.

The iron-willed Grootfontein struck next, working rightwing Luis Talaya over for an unconverted try, but a Van Rooi penalty levelled matters at 17-17.

Systematic phases and support play created the next three tries for Unam’s veteran flank Berry Gande as they opened up a 39-17 margin (with two Van Rooi conversions), before replacement wing Hatago Nunuhe once again punished Grootfontein with a run-away intercept try from his own goal line.

With this result, Unam (14 points) overtook Grootfontein (10) to now be sixth out of eight teams.



Wanderers go top

At Rehoboth, title holders FNB Wanderers completed the first round of the season in first position as they took maximum points from their game in hand and overtook FNB Kudus.

Wanderers beat FNB Reho Falcon 45-20 after leading just 12-6 after 40 minutes. The reigning champions’ seven tries were scored by centres Niel Holtzhausen (2) and Bredell Wessels, scrumhalf Danie van der Merwe, loose-forwards Innocent Kakumai and Driaan Vorster, and replacement wing Nico Maartens. Conversions were added by Jacques Theron (playing flyhalf, four), DJ Holtzhausen (fullback, one), and replacement Ethan Koopman (1).

Falcon responded with tries by centre Liam Parker and replacement Corbin Benade. Fullback Enrique Husselman kicked two conversions and two penalties.

Wanderers (six wins and a draw) are on 31 points, two ahead of Kudus (five wins and a draw).



United succeed

Trustco United added four points from their tense 21-15 win against FNB Western Suburbs in Khomasdal.

Just two tries by the brothers Jahno du Plessis (scrumhalf) and Eloff du Plessis (Nr. 8 and captain), along with three penalties and a conversion by Nr. 15 Renier Benade, were enough for the Olympia team to emerge victorious. The Philistines survived a yellow card to JD Nel (centre) in a tight match, which maintained their third place (28) in the three-horse race at the top.

FNB Rehoboth (17) and Suburbs (16) lead the chasing pack of Unam (14), Grootfontein (10), and Falcon (9).

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Namibian Sun 2024-05-19

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 414.72/OZ UP +1.55% | Copper US$ 5.04/lb UP +4.12% | Zinc US$ 3 059.30/T UP 0.11% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.28/BBP UP +0.60% | Platinum US$ 1 084.88/OZ UP +2.19% Sport results: Premier League: Sheffield United 0 vs 3 Tottenham Hotspur | Crystal Palace 5 vs 0 Aston Villa | Brentford 2 vs 4 Newcastle | Brighton 0 vs 2 Manchester United | Liverpool 2 vs 0 Wolves | Burnley 1 vs 2 Nottingham Forest | Luton Town 2 vs 4 Fulham | Manchester City 3 vs 1 West Ham | Arsenal 2 vs 1 Everton | Chelsea 2 vs 1 Bournemouth LaLiga: Deportivo Alaves 1 vs 0 Getafe | Real Sociedad 1 vs 0 Valencia | Almería 0 vs 2 Barcelona | Las Palmas 2 vs 2 Real Betis SerieA: Inter Milan 1 vs 1 SS Lazio | Udinese 1 vs 1 Empoli | Monza 0 vs 1 Frosinone | Sassuolo 0 vs 2 Cagliari | Torino 3 vs 1 AC Milan | Lecce 0 vs 2 Atalanta | Fiorentina 2 vs 2 Napoli European Championships Qualifying: Southampton 3 vs 1 West Bromwich Albion | Leeds United 4 vs 0 Norwich City English Championship: Southampton 3 vs 1 West Bromwich Albion | Leeds United 4 vs 0 Norwich City F1: Emilia Romagna GP First:Max Verstappen Red Bull 01:25:25 Second:Lando Norris McLaren + 00:00:00.725 Third:Charles Leclerc Ferrari + 00:00:07.916 Weather: Katima Mulilo: 11° | 31° Rundu: 9° | 30° Eenhana: 11° | 31° Oshakati: 12° | 31° Ruacana: 12° | 31° Tsumeb: 13° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 12° | 27° Omaruru: 14° | 29° Windhoek: 12° | 26° Gobabis: 13° | 27° Henties Bay: 20° | 36° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 07:06, High tide: 13:28, Low Tide: 19:06, High tide: 01:31 Swakopmund: 20° | 26° Wind speed: 25km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 07:04, High tide: 13:26, Low Tide: 19:04, High tide: 01:29 Walvis Bay: 22° | 33° Wind speed: 25km/h, Wind direction: SE, Low tide: 07:04, High tide: 13:25, Low Tide: 19:04, High tide: 01:28 Rehoboth: 12° | 27° Mariental: 15° | 29° Keetmanshoop: 18° | 30° Aranos: 15° | 29° Lüderitz: 16° | 35° Ariamsvlei: 18° | 32° Oranjemund: 13° | 33° Luanda: 24° | 26° Gaborone: 14° | 27° Lubumbashi: 11° | 26° Mbabane: 12° | 25° Maseru: 8° | 24° Antananarivo: 15° | 22° Lilongwe: 13° | 26° Maputo: 20° | 27° Windhoek: 12° | 26° Cape Town: 14° | 21° Durban: 17° | 28° Johannesburg: 15° | 24° Dar es Salaam: 24° | 32° Lusaka: 13° | 25° Harare: 12° | 26° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.01 | EUR to NAD 19.73 | CNY to NAD 2.51 | USD to NAD 18.15 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.7 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.55 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.35 | USD to AOA 847.42 | USD to BWP 13.49 | USD to EGP 46.86 | USD to KES 130.48 | USD to NGN 1467 | USD to ZAR 18.15 | USD to ZMW 25.45 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 79530.63 Up +0.03% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1754.58 Up +0.81% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13426.13 Up +0.11% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26142.84 Up +3.27% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9151.06 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 414.72/OZ UP +1.55% | Copper US$ 5.04/lb UP +4.12% | Zinc US$ 3 059.30/T UP 0.11% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.28/BBP UP +0.60% | Platinum US$ 1 084.88/OZ UP +2.19%