Grootfontein holds fate in its own hands
Club rugby
FNB Wanderers fired a warning shot to upcoming opposition with their 97-30 demolition of FNB Rehoboth.
Amid dominating wins elsewhere for log leaders FNB Unam and FNB Wanderers, FNB Grootfontein took a big step towards remaining in control of their fourth log position on the NRU premier league standings.
Grootfontein overcame various obstacles on Saturday on their way to a hard-fought 40-34 away win against FNB Reho Falcon, a direct opponent in the three-way race for the last available semi-final position.
Three yellow cards (to full-back AJ Vercuil and centres Jahzeél Marais and Ian Malan) were setbacks along with frequently conceding penalties when they were on the attack – often due to ball carriers getting isolated with support slow to arrive.
Reho Falcon (now overtaken to be sixth from fifth) had close to a full-strength team, with the notable addition of test veteran Cliven Loubser at fly-half, looking to emulate the away win they had achieved at Grootfontein in the first round (19-17).
Still, Reho Falcon had remarkably turned their struggling form of recent seasons around with a string of excellent team efforts since the tragic loss of three members of the Coetzee family as well as Greshlinn Bruwer in a vehicle crash on 13 April. It has been many years since Falcon had challenged for semi-final contention and the disappointment was palpable after Saturday’s narrow loss.
Grootfontein lock Jan Breedt, who previously played three seasons of Currie Cup rugby for the Griffons, was a hero for Grootfontein with three tries and a bunch of powerful carries, while hooker and captain Wikus Jacobs completed 80 minutes (and scored a try) despite playing with pain-killers from a hairline fracture to the ankle, picked up during the recent Rugby Africa Cup in Uganda.
Centre Jahzeél Marais also scored a try for Grootfontein, while his brother Uroél on the wing missed only twice at goal, landing three penalties and three conversions.
In contrast, failed place-kicking attempts were a part of Reho Falcon’s downfall. The hosts led 19-13 at halftime and their supporters had five tries to cheer about – by wing Enrique Husselmann, centre Prince January, fullback Casey Beukes, replacement Ashton van Wyk and a penalty try, but only two conversions, one each by Husselmann and Van Wyk.
Reho Falcon’s two remaining fixtures will be away against Unam and at home against Trustco United. Grootfontein will conclude their league round at home to Wanderers.
Wanderers rack up 97 against Rehoboth
Semi-finalist in 2023, FNB Rehoboth, was eliminated from contention for a top-four finish when FNB Wanderers handed them a 97-30 drubbing in Pionierspark.
Wanderers hooker Obert Nortje (3), flank Peter Diergaardt (2), wings Nandivatu Karuuombe (2) and Jurgen Meyer, centre Danco Burger (2), captain and scrumhalf Jacques Theron and flyhalf Denzo Bruwer (2) as well as replacement back Natie van Rensburg racked up 15 tries for the hosts.
Bruwer added to Rehoboth’s misery with eleven conversions, for a personal tally of 32 points.
Coach Dirk Human’s White Stallions already had a 57-9 lead at halftime as their returning national team stars injected an incredible pace – firing a warning shot and silencing the critics following their depleted squad’s mid-June loss to FNB Kudus at Walvis Bay (27-51).
United cash in to stay alive
Trustco United missed out on a potential seventh try (for two bonus points), but will be hoping the five added log points will keep them in the hunt, after Saturday’s 40-10 win against Simonis Storm Dolphin.
The Swakopmund team concluded their season at the bottom of the nine-team log, with one win, 15 losses, 5 log points and a points differential of 156-755.
Dolphin managed two unconverted tries, by centre Lee-Anzo Losper and flyhalf Jerry Tjiriange.
United, the defending champions who moved up from sixth to fifth, worked captain and centre JD Nel (2), fullback Hanreco van Zyl, nr 8 Rudi Pieters, prop Richter Steenkamp and replacement scrumhalf Elzandro van Wyk over for tries, with conversions from Van Zyl (4) and Nel (1).
Six tries for Unam
In Khomasdal, FNB Unam maintained their momentum with their sixth win in a row, beating FNB Western Suburbs 41-15.
Flank Rowan Jansen, previously used as hooker back-up, scored three tries, with wing Shareave Titus, scrumhalf Bronwon Willemse and replacement back Tjipe Tjatuuapo also among the try-scorers. Fullback Aljarreau Zaahl kept the scoreboard ticking with four conversions and a penalty.
Western Suburbs, who played some of their experienced players off the bench, recorded tries by wing Dumarcho Hartung and prop Marchell Gariseb.
Grootfontein overcame various obstacles on Saturday on their way to a hard-fought 40-34 away win against FNB Reho Falcon, a direct opponent in the three-way race for the last available semi-final position.
Three yellow cards (to full-back AJ Vercuil and centres Jahzeél Marais and Ian Malan) were setbacks along with frequently conceding penalties when they were on the attack – often due to ball carriers getting isolated with support slow to arrive.
Reho Falcon (now overtaken to be sixth from fifth) had close to a full-strength team, with the notable addition of test veteran Cliven Loubser at fly-half, looking to emulate the away win they had achieved at Grootfontein in the first round (19-17).
Still, Reho Falcon had remarkably turned their struggling form of recent seasons around with a string of excellent team efforts since the tragic loss of three members of the Coetzee family as well as Greshlinn Bruwer in a vehicle crash on 13 April. It has been many years since Falcon had challenged for semi-final contention and the disappointment was palpable after Saturday’s narrow loss.
Grootfontein lock Jan Breedt, who previously played three seasons of Currie Cup rugby for the Griffons, was a hero for Grootfontein with three tries and a bunch of powerful carries, while hooker and captain Wikus Jacobs completed 80 minutes (and scored a try) despite playing with pain-killers from a hairline fracture to the ankle, picked up during the recent Rugby Africa Cup in Uganda.
Centre Jahzeél Marais also scored a try for Grootfontein, while his brother Uroél on the wing missed only twice at goal, landing three penalties and three conversions.
In contrast, failed place-kicking attempts were a part of Reho Falcon’s downfall. The hosts led 19-13 at halftime and their supporters had five tries to cheer about – by wing Enrique Husselmann, centre Prince January, fullback Casey Beukes, replacement Ashton van Wyk and a penalty try, but only two conversions, one each by Husselmann and Van Wyk.
Reho Falcon’s two remaining fixtures will be away against Unam and at home against Trustco United. Grootfontein will conclude their league round at home to Wanderers.
Wanderers rack up 97 against Rehoboth
Semi-finalist in 2023, FNB Rehoboth, was eliminated from contention for a top-four finish when FNB Wanderers handed them a 97-30 drubbing in Pionierspark.
Wanderers hooker Obert Nortje (3), flank Peter Diergaardt (2), wings Nandivatu Karuuombe (2) and Jurgen Meyer, centre Danco Burger (2), captain and scrumhalf Jacques Theron and flyhalf Denzo Bruwer (2) as well as replacement back Natie van Rensburg racked up 15 tries for the hosts.
Bruwer added to Rehoboth’s misery with eleven conversions, for a personal tally of 32 points.
Coach Dirk Human’s White Stallions already had a 57-9 lead at halftime as their returning national team stars injected an incredible pace – firing a warning shot and silencing the critics following their depleted squad’s mid-June loss to FNB Kudus at Walvis Bay (27-51).
United cash in to stay alive
Trustco United missed out on a potential seventh try (for two bonus points), but will be hoping the five added log points will keep them in the hunt, after Saturday’s 40-10 win against Simonis Storm Dolphin.
The Swakopmund team concluded their season at the bottom of the nine-team log, with one win, 15 losses, 5 log points and a points differential of 156-755.
Dolphin managed two unconverted tries, by centre Lee-Anzo Losper and flyhalf Jerry Tjiriange.
United, the defending champions who moved up from sixth to fifth, worked captain and centre JD Nel (2), fullback Hanreco van Zyl, nr 8 Rudi Pieters, prop Richter Steenkamp and replacement scrumhalf Elzandro van Wyk over for tries, with conversions from Van Zyl (4) and Nel (1).
Six tries for Unam
In Khomasdal, FNB Unam maintained their momentum with their sixth win in a row, beating FNB Western Suburbs 41-15.
Flank Rowan Jansen, previously used as hooker back-up, scored three tries, with wing Shareave Titus, scrumhalf Bronwon Willemse and replacement back Tjipe Tjatuuapo also among the try-scorers. Fullback Aljarreau Zaahl kept the scoreboard ticking with four conversions and a penalty.
Western Suburbs, who played some of their experienced players off the bench, recorded tries by wing Dumarcho Hartung and prop Marchell Gariseb.
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