Kudus loses second game

Rudi Bowe

Defending champions Wanderers opened their campaign with a 19-12 win against Kudus at the Wanderers field in Windhoek.

Wanderers got off to a quick start when their new winger Tuna Amutenya scored an early try for the Windhoek based team with Brandon Groenewald successful with the conversion to put the home team 7-0 ahead. Kudus struck back through an unconverted try by hooker Dario Benson. Wanderers went further ahead with an unconverted try by their lock Stef Botha to give the home team a 21-7 half-time lead.
Kudus came back in the second half with a try by fullback Lloyd Jacobs with fly- half Ulriato Lawrence successful with the conversion to tie the score at 12-12. After Kudus winger Vernon McKay was sin binned for a high tackle Stef Botha burst over for his second converted try to give Wanderers a 19-12 win.
Kudus II lost their reserve league game 24-52 against Wanderers II in Windhoek.
In Swakopmund the SFC Vikings produced a quality display of running rugby as they beat neighboring club Dolphins 33-5 with tries form winger Ronaldo Diergaardt (2), Sheiton Besser (1), Ettiene Noeth (1), Lovelle Delie (1). Four tries were converted by fly-half Kyle Wentzel.
“We are satisfied with our attacking display in the first half, but we will review the match and come up with solutions for a few minor problems we encountered in the second half. We set high standards for ourselves and we need to meet those goals over a full 80 minutes and not just one half of the match. But we are extremely proud of the boys as they kept composure throughout the game. I’m sure Dolphins will review a few things and come back much stronger in the second round of the competition, they’re always a side to be reckoned with” said Vikings coach Jaco Barnard.
Dolphins Rugby Club Coach Clayton Beukes said that he is still laying down his foundation as a coach and better results will emerge. “Initially nerves and it was very difficult to control their overlaps as they had speed at hand. Nevertheless, I think the game at the beginning was a bit too fast for our guys but in the second half we managed to get the ball in hand better and we can improve” Beukes added.
Beukes added that his team got a lot of penalties awarded to them which means they know what to do on the ground. When he star-ted coaching the foundation needed to be laid down.
“All we need to get is some “ammunition” to get through and get better results,” said Beukes.
Quinton Fielding was the try scorer for the Dolphins.
In Walvis Bay Sparta United Rugby Club defeated Erongo Rugby Academy (ERA) 34 – 14 in Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) Western first division in Walvis Bay.
The men from ERA put up a brave fight but ultimately out muscled and classed by Sparta on the day.
Sparta dominated the first half as they scored four of their six tries with their try scorers, Zuandre Viviers, Shaun White, Ashley Freygang, Jaycee Steenkamp, Karim Visagie and Ricardo Damens with Steward McAlpine only managed to convert only two of the six tries.
At the start of the second half ERA gained momentum with two tries by Quentos Dames and Shekutamba Nekomgo respectively with Wayne Maasdorp successfully converted both tries.
The coach of Sparta United Chris Klassen said that ERA had put them under pressure during the second half but his players kept their cool and defended their goalpost.
“We expected a better game from ourselves, but new ERA was going to bring the game to them but at the end of the day, we managed to win and will now focus on our next game against Dolphins in Swakopmund” Klaasen added
The coach from ERA Griffin Griffiths said “We have numerous inexperienced players, who has had no prior rugby experience at all and they surprised us. Griffiths added that like in the previous game against Dolphins, they relaxed during the first half and only gained momentum in the second half. The addition of the reserve league Kudus players on our team made a significant impact and that ERA are definitely improving on our overall game, but he is not happy with losing.
He said that losing and just saying it was a good game is old fashioned. It’s back to the drawing board now.
The SFC Vikings will play host to Erongo Rugby Academy this coming Saturday at the SFC in Swakopmund.