Africa-Press – Namibia. FNB WANDERERS went to the top of the Rugby Premier League after a comprehensive 49-24 victory against FNB Rehoboth on Saturday.
Playing on their home ground in Pionierspark, Wanderers swept Rehoboth away in the first half to take a 42-9 half time lead, but Rehoboth produced a spirited second half comeback, while Wanderers were also a man down after their lock Erik Strauss was sent off for foul play.
Wanderers, however, still grabbed a maximum bonus-points victory after scoring seven tries, all converted by flyhalf Andre van der Berg, to open up a three-point lead at the top of the log.
Wanderers applied pressure from the start and opened their account after barely a minute when a quick pass by centre JC Greyling put wing Nandi Karuuombe away on the wing to touch down in the corner.
Rehoboth opened their account with a penalty by flyhalf Geraldo Beukes, but Wanderers struck back when hooker Stefan Hattingh went over from a forward maul.
Two penalties by Beukes reduced Rehoboth’s deficit to 14-9, but that’s the closest they got as Wanderers started to pull away.
Greyling went over for a try behind the posts after a 40m run, while Van der Berg rounded off a great hand-to-hand attack to put Wanderers 28-9 ahead.
Centre Bredell Wessels went over for a try after a bullocking run by Hattingh, and the hooker then capped a great performance with his second try when he went over from a forward maul.
With Wanderers leading 42-9 at the break, a massive score seemed to be on the cards, but they were reduced to 14 men when lock Erik Strauss was red-carded for foul play just before half time.
Rehoboth also refused to give up and, in fact, edged the second half, scoring two tries to Wanderers’ one.
Beukes added a drop goal, but Wanderers struck back when wing Ryan Coetzee went over in the corner and with Van der Berg once again putting over a great conversion from the touchline they went 49-12 ahead.
Rehoboth, however, took the game to Wanderers in the final quarter, and substitute back Miguel Busch went over for their first try after sustained pressure.
Replacement forward Grant Cloete squandered a great opportunity when he knocked the ball on over the try-line, but he soon made amends when he touched down after sustained pressure by Rehoboth’s forwards.
The match ended on a sour note as a scuffle broke out between
Wanderers captain Christo van der Merwe and Rehoboth wing Romeo Visagie, which immediately escalated as players, officials and fans got involved.
Order was, however, soon restored with the referee blowing the full time whistle and Van der Merwe afterwards played down the incident.
“I think that’s the passion of rugby coming through, with the players on the field just getting their frustrations out, but there is a lot of mutual respect between the teams and I think that’s where it will stay, between the four lines.”
Wanderers now lead the log on 22 points from four matches, followed by FNB Kudus on 19, FNB Unam on 14, and FNB Grootfontein and FNB Western Suburbs on 11 points each. Rehoboth remain sixth on the log on six points, while Trustco United and FNB Reho Falcon are both on zero points.
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