Joy and relief as U18 boys overcome Pumas

Schools rugby
Namibia scored three tries against two and was bolstered by an accurate Waldre Kotze kicking performance.
Andrew Poolman
  • 1 Week Ago 25 June 2024
The Namibia schools rugby team convincingly beat the Pumas Academy team (30-17) on match day 1 of the SA Under-18 Academy Week in Johannesburg yesterday.

Flyhalf Waldre Kotze (Windhoek Gymnasium) was named player of the match as the Namibians systematically took control to overturn their 7-17 deficit at halftime.

A strong scrum performance which earned them some valuable penalties in their own half was a feature of the Namibian performance.

However, coach Herman Grobler’s boys will be looking to improve on the number of line-out throws that went astray and which cost them vital momentum when in the ascendancy.

Namibia took the lead after seven minutes when WHS flank Pieter Jan Strydom forced his way over the goal-line from close range, to finish off the pressure created from an attacking line-out maul.

Kotze’s conversion made it 7-0, but the Pumas then struck back in twice in quick succession. Their forwards laid the foundation for the 22nd and 25th minute tries, the latter off a stolen Namibian line-out throw on their own goal-line.

Another Pumas penalty after 33 minutes extended their lead to 17-7 at halftime and while Namibia won the next kick-off back and tried their best to hammer through on the goal-line, they were denied by another lost line-out throw which allowed the Pumas to exit the danger zone.

About seven minutes after the restart, Namibian nr 8 and captain Ruan Agenbag (Whk Gym) took a quick-tap penalty and barged over from close range with two Pumas tacklers unable to stop him.

Namibia regained the lead after 46 minutes with their third try, by flank Herman Lombard (Walvis Bay Private School), after the initial attack that included a chip-kick chase from fullback William Beukes (WHS) and a strong ball carry by inside centre Jano Erasmus (Edugate Academy).

Kotze, who had landed all three conversions so far, added three more penalties that one by one pushed the deficit out of reach of the Pumas, as the Namibian defence and game management held out.

All in all it was a good performance by the Namibians, who will be looking to further establish themselves in two remaining fixtures against opponents yet to be confirmed.