WINDHOEK – The Welwitschias’ performance and fierce character shown in their 13-34 defeat against the Vodacom Blue Bulls gave local rugby enthusiasts a glimmer of hope ahead of this month’s 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifiers in Madagascar.
The combative Welwitschias enjoyed the lion’s share of territory but their finishing upfront failed them on many occasions, thus allowing the silky Bulls victory in an entertaining friendly at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday.
The match served as a preparatory game for the Namibians, who will shortly jet out to Madagascar for the eagerly awaited Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) Division-1A qualification tourney, which starts later this month. The tourney represents the final round of qualifying matches for the Rugby World Cup 2015 in London
Action kicked off at a swift pace and it only took the fired-up South African Bulls just under 6 minutes to register their name on the scoreboard when flyhalf Jacques Louis Potgieter converted a penalty kick.
The Welwitschias responded a few minutes later via a penalty kick from industrious fullback Chrysander Botha, to bring the score to 3-3.
Botha was against back in the thick of things when he gave Namibia a slender lead to make it 6-3 with just a few minutes before halftime, but the mighty Bulls still had plenty in their tanks and quickly drew level when Potgieter converted another penalty to make it 6-6 going into the changeover.
In the 2nd half, the Namibians resumed where they had left off in the first half but this time launching some aggressive attacks that saw New Zealand-based Dawid Philander touching down to give the Welwitschias the lead, after starting a great move from within the middle of the park before connecting with Heinrich Smith and Botha and then heading for the tryline.
Winger Johan Tromp made no mistake with the conversion to put Namibia 13-6 ahead. However, the visitors struck back via captain Jona Ross’s try and Potgieter converted a penalty kick to give the Bulls a narrow 13-14 lead.
Bulls winger Bjorn Basson clutched onto an innocent looking ball kicked across the field and showed some glimpses of individual brilliance as he went on to press down in the left corner, extending their lead to 13-19. Potgieter added another penalty to stretch the lead to 13-22.
In the dying minutes, Bulls center William Small Smith and Megiel Odendal broke away and added two more tries, while their subsequent conversions were enough to hand the visitors a 13-34 victory.
By Fifi Rhodes