Wanderers beat league champions in derby
Club rugby
A star-studded FNB Wanderers delivered a dominant result of rare frequence in the 69th annual derby against rivals Trustco United, played at the latter’s Gemsbok Park field in Olympa on Saturday.Hooker Obert Nortje scored three tries as the White Stallions turned the tables on United following their last meeting, in which the Philistines edged them 30-29 in the 2023 Namibia Rugby Union premier league final.
United suffered their fourth defeat of this season and were prevented from adding a single log point, while Wanderers took four for the win and one for scoring a minimum of four tries.
Flyhalf Andre van der Berg and lock Brandon Nortje were the other try scorers for Wanderers, while Van der Berg also slotted three conversions.
United trailed 10-26 at halftime and mustered only three unconverted tries, by brothers Eloff du Plessis (hooker) and scrumhalf Jahno du Plessis, as well as intercept try from left wing Jandre Esterhuizen.
• At Grootfontein, FNB Kudus won a thriller by 27-26 against the home side FNB Grootfontein.
For Kudus, centre Justin Newman (2) and replacement forward Anele Solomons scored their tries of which flyhalf Kyle Wentzel converted two.
Grootfontein’s hooker and captain Wikus Jacobs continued his try-scoring consistency with another two, while Bernd Beddies (prop) and flyhalf Dhaamin Bassardien added five-pointers to ensure the northern side boost their log tally by two points.
• FNB Rehoboth finally found a groove, accumulating a bonus-point 40-19 win against strugglers FNB Western Suburbs.
Tries by wing Dolano Vries, centre Brandon Dentlinger, scrumhalf Miquel Busch, flank Ray-Eez Feris, lock Chase Diergaardt and hooker Jeandre Cloete established Rehoboth’s dominance, with five conversions by centre Henrique Olivier.
All of Suburbs’ reply came through flyhalf Justin Nel, with three tries and two conversions.
• Results, fixtures and current log standings at www.fnbrugby.my.na/