Wanderers, Kudus take the lead 

FNB Wanderers and FNB Kudus went to the top of the Namibia Rugby Premier League log after both recorded convincing victories on Saturday. 

Wanderers beat FNB Unam 46-24 on their home field in Pionierspark while Kudus overcame Rehoboth 26-7 at the Jan Wilken Stadium in Walvis Bay. 

FNB Western Suburbs also remained unbeaten after beating FNB Grootfontein 15-7 at Suburbs Park, while FNB Reho Falcon beat FNB Dolphins 21-7 at Rehoboth. 

At the Wanderers field, the two sides produced a fierce battle with honours even at the break, but Wanderers’ forward dominance started to tell after the break as they ran out comfortable winners. 

Unam got off to a great start when they attacked from the kickoff and centre Suramie Kambombo went over in the left hand corner. With flyhalf Aljarreau Zaahl adding a great conversion from the touchline they took a 7-0 lead after barely two minutes. 

Wanderers came storming back and after camping on Unam’s tryline only desperate defence kept them out. They finally opened their account midway through the first half when scrumhalf Jacques Theron turned on the pace to cut through the backline and dot down with Denzo Bruwer adding the conversion to draw level at 7-7. 

Unam fullback Abraham Ilonga was sin binned for a high tackle on Bruwer, and Wanderers fullback Johnny Mwenyo added the penalty to put them 10-7 ahead, but Unam regained the lead when left wing Shareave Titus outpaced Wanderers’ defence to dot down and with Zaahl converting they went 14-10 ahead. 

Wanderers however went 17-14 ahead just before halftime when centre Danie van der Merwe intercepted the ball and ran half the length of the field to dive over with Mwenyo adding the conversion. 

Unam once again took the lead at the start of the second half when centre Raschano van Rooi raced through to dive over and with Zaahl converting they went 21-17 ahead. 

Wanderers, however, soon regained the lead when nn went over for a try and from then on they never looked back. 

They went 29-21 after a converted try by centre Natie Janse van Rensburg and although Zaahl reduced the deficit with a penalty, another converted try by left wing Owen Hawanga put Wanderers in charge at 36-24. 

With their forwards dominating up front more possession came their way and a converted try by substitute loose forward Adriaan Booysen put them 43-24 ahead before a final penalty by Mwenyo sealed a comprehensive win. 

The win put Wanderers level with Kudus at the top of the log on 11 points, although the coastal side remain top due to a better points aggregate. 

Kudus were made to work hard for victory against Rehoboth but they eventually ran out comfortable winners, scoring four tries to grab a bonus point. 

Right wing Irongwa Atshivudhi, centre PJ Walters, scrumhalf Rayshawn Shoombe and flanker Franco Vries dotted down, while flyhalf Michael Koopman added one conversion and replacement back Aurelio Plato two. 

Rehoboth replied with a try and conversion by flyhalf Geraldo Beukes. 

Western Suburbs got their second successive after beating Grootfontein in a close encounter win at a waterlogged Suburbs Park. 

There were a lot of handling errors on both sides due tio the conditions while the match also had to be interuppted due to lightning and a heavy rain shower towards the end, although it was finally completed. 

Suburbs however made better use of their opportunities, scoring two tries by flankers Delano van Wyk and Ethan Beukes, while fullback Dwayne van Zyl added a conversion and a penalty. Grootfontein replied with a penalty try. 

Falcons, meanwhile, got their first win of the season after beating Dolphins 21-7 at Rehoboth.