Derby fever grips the coast
Club rugby
For the first time in years, the two coastal rugby clubs Simonis Storm Dolphin and FNB Kudus will take each other on in a derby.Dolphin made a welcome return to the Namibian Rugby Union (NRU) Premier League this year. Although the team lost their first three games, any match with Kudus is an experience not to be missed.
Dolphin chairman Rowhan Besser said the Swakopmund club is ready for their home match on Saturday against the high-flying Walvis Bay visitors.
“Kudus are our arch rivals and any match between these two clubs is always fiercely contested. I know, because I played for both clubs against each other.”
Besser said he is immensely proud of what the club has achieved despite losing a lot of senior players.
“I want everybody to know that we are not here to just come and go. We are the new guys on the block with probably 90 percent of our players playing premier league rugby for the very first time. This is a challenge and we believe that as time goes by all these players will grow and become better and evolve into stronger, top class players.”
He emphasised that Dolphin is in the process of strengthening its foundation and said that doing so is not easy.
“We are the authors of our own history. We know this season will be tough and we are prepared to fight through it. We won’t back down.”
Kudus might be running out as the overwhelming favourites, but it will not be an easy ride in Swakopmund. How much did Swakopmund-based players contribute to make Kudus look so good the last couple of years? This question might validly be asked.
Some injuries have already struck after three rounds of matches in 2024 and with a long season ahead it becomes an important aspect that the coaches afford some of the players a rest.
Dolphins will definitely fancy their chances of beating Kudus in the absence of Aurelio Plato, Paulo Andrews, Lloyd Jacobs, Scotty Winborn and Kenneth Seibeb who are all said to be unavailable due to minor injuries.
There are however enough players available to put in two strong Kudus squads against the neighbours.
A tough contest can play out up front. Dolphin possess a strong pack capable of laying a solid foundation.
Kudus’ Captain Courageous, Cameron Langenhoven, is expected to lead his charges to victory. Both Kudus teams will want to come away with victories to improve their log positions, while Dolphins are keen to spoil the fun by recording their first premier league win for the season.
Spectators will be out in force and will pack Tamariskia Stadium to capacity.
As usual, the NTV production team at the coast will ensure the live broadcast can be followed on https://oneuptwo.com/