Africa-Press – Namibia. FNB Kudus beat FNB Wanderers 22-15 at Walvis Bay to remain top of the Rugby Premier League log, but third-placed FNB Unam thumped FNB Reho Falcons 88-7 in Windhoek to close the gap on the leaders.
There were also wins for FNB Western Suburbs and FNB Rehoboth, who are now just two points apart in fourth and fifth place respectively and heading for a knockout decider next week.
At Walvis Bay, Kudus took the honours in a fierce top of the log clash after building up an early lead.
Flyhalf Aurelio Plato opened the scoring when he followed up his grubber kick to dot down and convert and when eighthman Joshua Jacobs went over from a driving maul, Kudus went 12-0 ahead.
Kudus stretched their lead to 19-0 at the end of the first half when wing Lloyd Jacobs intercepted the ball from a Wanderers backline attack to streak through and dive over in the corner.
Wanderers opened their account when hooker Obert Nortje went over from a driving maul early in the second half and Kudus were dealt a blow when their captain and flanker Cameron Langenhoven was sent off, presumably for foul language, with half an hour to go.
Stretching the ball wide, Wanderers wing Ryan Coetzee went over in the corner from a backline attack, but a Plato penalty put Kudus 22-10 ahead.
Wanderers attacked furiously in the closing stages, with Coetzee adding a second try to reduce the gap to 22-15.
Kudus, however, held on for a hard fought victory that saw them moving up to 55 points at the top of the log, while Wanderers remain second on 51.
Unam, meanwhile, closed in on the leaders on 48 points after collecting maximum bonus points in a superb 88-7 victory against Falcons.
Unam, meanwhile, closed in on the leaders on 48 points after collecting maximum bonus points with a superb 88-7 victory against Falcons at the Unam Stadium.
Unam streaked into a 64-0 lead at halftime and eventually ran in 14 tries in an impressive display of 15-man rugby.
Right wing Aljarreau Zaahl and centre Darryl Wellman scored three tries each, eighthman Oderich Mouton scored two, and left wing Shareave Titus, flankers Gilad Plaatjies and Rowan Jansen, and substitutes Bjorn Kazondunge and Keanan Januarie scored one each, while fullback Lorenzo Louis added nine conversions and a try for a personal tally of 23 points.
At the Hage Geingob Stadium, Suburbs held off a spirited Grootfontein to eventually run out comfortable 31-17 winners.
Suburbs took a 5-0 lead after a fine solo try by winger Lezardo Williams, but Grootfontein struck back when right wing Nolan Mostert kicked the ball ahead and beat the cover defence to dot down, and with Louis Grobbelaar adding the conversion the visitors took a 7-5 lead at the half time break.
Suburbs regained the lead when Williams went over for his second try, and after pounding away at Grootfontein’s defence, right wing Dumarcho Hartung finally went over to put Suburbs 17-7 ahead.
Grootfontein refused to give up and captain Wicus Jacobs barged over for a try to reduce the gap to 17-12.
Suburbs, however, finished stronger and further tries by Vakamboka Kamboo and Joran Farmer put them 31-12 ahead before a consolation try by Grootfontein flanker Mogamat Emamdien made the final score 31-17.
That win put Suburbs on 39 points in fourth place, but Rehoboth are now breathing down their necks two points behind after they beat Trustco United 36-22 at Rehoboth.
For Rehoboth, eigthman Charl Freygang and lock Boris Majiedt each scored two tries; right wing Elmarco Beukes and flyhalf Cliven Loubser added one each; and scrumhalf Ascher Coetzee added three conversions.
United scored three tries through scrumhalf Pieter Janse van Vuuren, eighthman Dean Blom and prop Jano Otto, while flyhalf Oela Blaauw added two conversions and a penalty.
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