Two big rugby clashes at Unam and Wanderers
Log positions or the number of national players count for very little when the pride of these clubs collide.
The 68th annual derby weekend between Windhoek’s two oldest rugby clubs will on Saturday once again deliver drama at Wanderers Sport Club.Just a few kilometres from there, another huge clash in the Namibia Rugby Union’s premier league will play out when FNB University of Namibia hosts coastal rivals and current front-runners FNB Kudus at the campus stadium.
Both of these memorable events will be broadcast live by the NTV production teams on various platforms – for those fans unable to experience the vibe first-hand.
Unam, currently struggling in sixth place on the log, would have been greatly boosted by the return of their Welwitschias squad members after the conclusion of the Mzansi series.
However, none of the Unam representatives on national duty over the last few weeks have been released to the club by the NRU medical team due to injuries, Unam head coach Russel van Rooi confirmed.
Unam’s Welwitschias captain Prince !Gaoseb will be unavailable due to exam commitments, while a string of shoulder injuries have ruled out his fellow loose forwards Max Katjijeko and Peter Diergaardt as well as tighthead prop Jason Benade and lock Mahepisa Tjeriko.
Conversely, Kudus coach Gawan Esterhuizen could get centre PJ Walters and fullback Lloyd Jacobs back into the picture along with their already firing backline with the likes of Aurelio Plato, Chad Plato, Justin Newman and Jayden Bussel.
Kudus scored four tries when they won their home match against FNB Rehoboth 31-14 last weekend. Having won both of their home and away clashes against Unam last season, the coastal team led by Nr. 8 Joshua Jacobs will be hard to stop, with Geraldo Beukes at fly-half directing their play.
Unam’s last outing was a 35-46 loss against Rehoboth on May 20, with the likes of flank Berry Gande and prop and captain Graham April providing high-level experience in the long-term absence of injury listed Alcino Izaacs, Lorenzo Louis and Delron Brandt.
AT WANDERERS
The weight of decades of tradition and history between the rivals always adds to the test match intensity when FNB Wanderers and Trustco United meets in their annual derby.
United (second) and Wanderers (third) have both had stints in the number one position this season and are the only unbeaten teams, with each having been held to a draw once.
While both are well placed in the race to the semi-finals, Saturday presents an opportunity to establish bragging rights while also delivering a blow to the opposition.
Out of Wanderers’ representatives in the Welwitschias set-up, most will be unavailable due to niggles or other commitments with coach Dirk Human only getting lock Lebeau du Preez, scrumhalf Jacques Theron, prop Herschell van Wyk and wing Warren Ludwig to add to his plans.
Wanderers will be forced into a rethink on their hooker options after losing national U20 player Dandre Schreuder with injured ankle ligaments in their 30-20 win against FNB Western Suburbs last weekend.
Both Human and his United counter-part Robbie Dickson spoke of the expectations of proud tradition between the clubs and the knowledge that spectators will be in for a treat.
Log positions or the number of national players in each club have counted for nothing in previous derby battles – which have enhanced reputations of, for instance, fly-half Hanreco van Zyl in his starring role when United raced to a 58-31 upset at Wanderers in 2019.
United got off to a great start this season, beating Kudus, Grootfontein, Rehoboth and Unam in succession, before last weekend’s suprising 40-40 away draw against FNB Reho Falcon. According to reports, the Philistines were heavily penalised by referee Romario de Koker and have since tried their best to make disciplinary adjustments.
In the Mzansi Challenge, hooker Gerhard Thirion and prop Jano Otto got exposure at the provinsial level, but have since settled into the United pack which is set for an epic battle against their arch enemies.