Namibia’s 2010 Vodacom Cup campaign got off to a losing start as they lost 45-26 to the Griffons in Windhoek after trailing 25-17 at halftime. Griffons’ right wing Eddie Fredericks scored three tries while flyhalf Tiaan van Wyk gave a great kicking display, scoring 17 points with the boot, as the visitors took control of the match from the start. Namibia however staged a fine comeback and at a stage were trailing by only two points before the Griffons pulled away for a comfortable win.
Namibian flyhalf TC Losper missed two early penalties as the visitors took an early 10-0 lead through a Fredericks try and a penalty and conversion by Van Wyk.
Namibia struck back through a fine try by fullback Chrysander Botha when he joined the backline and outpaced the cover defence with Losper adding the conversion. Botha took over the kicking duties and added a penalty as Namibia drew level, but the Griffons regained the lead through a Van Wyk penalty and Fredericks’ second try when he went over in the corner after a quick backline attack.
Griffons’ eighthman Nicky Steyn set up their scrumhalf Enrico Schultz for a fine try after a dummy pass and with Van Wyk once again adding the conversion they were suddenly 25-10 ahead.
Namibian centre Bradley Langenhoven went over for a try after a fine break by Tinus Venter and with Botha adding the conversion they were trailing 25-17 at the break.
Poor finishing
Namibia went on the attack from the restart and camped on the Griffons’ tryline but poor finishing let them down as Tinus Venter knocked on with the tryline beckoning while a drop attempt by TC Losper went wide of the target. Johnny Redelinghuys seemed to break through as he went over for a try but the referee called them back for a previous infringement.
Botha added two penalties as Namibia reduced the deficit to 25-23, but that’s as close as they got as the Griffons took control in the final quarter.
A Van Wyk penalty put them 28-23 ahead before replacement lock Leon Grobbelaar went over for a try after a great counterattack by scrumhalf Enrico Schultz and Eddie Fredericks.
Botha converted a penalty as Namibia pulled back to 35-26, but Fredericks completed his hattrick with a great try in the right hand corner, while Van Wyk added the conversion and a penalty to make the final score 45-26.
Namibia’s best player was fullback Chrysander Botha who was solid under the high ball, kicked with authority and injected a lot of pace when he joined the backline.
The rest of the backline, however, gave a bumbling display with far too many elemental mistakes like knock-ons and poor options.
The forwards held their own in the set-pieces, where Wacca Kazombiaze and Renaud van Neel did well in the lineouts, but they faded in the final stages of the match.
It was not a very promising display by Namibia and if one considers that the Griffons were thrashed 64-16 by the Pumas in a friendly match a week ago, then the does not look too bright.
Namibia’s next match in the Vodacom Cup competition is against the Leopards in Potchefstroom on Friday, March 5.
The results of other Vodacom Cup matches were as follows:
SWD 13 Free State 22
Boland Kavaliers 37 Western Province 28
Golden Lions 27 Platinum Leopards 22