Welwitchias beat Blue Bulls

Namibia played the Blue Bulls, the reigning Vodacom Cup champions, 17-12 in the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday.

For both sides it was a warm-up match for the Vodacom Cup – the Blue Bulls’ second warm-up defeat after they lost to the Southern Kings earlier.

It was not a full Namibian side but the team that hopes to gain experience and confidence in the Vodacom Cup in this year when they will be off to the World Cup.

Two of their players will not even be eligible for the World Cup – two New Zealander props from the Taranaki area, Raymond Dobson and Errol Weston, who reached Windhoek on the Monday before the match. Both got a game on Saturday. Dobson started and was replaced in the second half by Weston who so impressed with his driving play that the crowd started lowing ‘Beeeeeeast’.

Namibia seemed to suffer no injuries in the match  but there were several stoppages to attend to Blue Bulls who lost their captain Gerrit-Jan van Velze early in the second half.

At half-time the Welwitchias led 14-0 after scoring two ties, despite less possession than the Blue Bulls had. But the home side used every opportunity to attack and counterattack. The Blue Bulls on the hand relied on strength, especially the maul, that favourite weapon of South African teams. But handling let the Blue Bulls down. Their loose forwards were also outplayed by Tjoppie Engelbrecht, Tinus du Plessis and captain PJ van Lill.

Prop Johnny Redelinghuys scored the first try, Van der Lill the second, both converted by scrumhalf  Eugene Jantjies. Van der Lill’s try came from a scrum. He picked up at the back was too fast for the Blue Bulls”defence.

Left wing Dirk Dippenaar scored in the corner. Jantjies then kicked a conversion (17-5) and finally lock Cornell Hess scored a try that replacement CJ Roos converted.

Scorers:

For Namibia:
Tries: Van Rooyen, Van der Lill
Cons: Jantjies 2
Pen: Jantjies

For Blue Bulls:
Tries: Dippenaar, Hess
Con: Roos

Namibia: 15 Chrysander Botha,  14 Llewellyn Winckler, 13 Attie du Plessis, 12 Daryl de la Harpe, 11 Heini Bock, 10 Jackie Bock, 9 Eugene Jantjies, 8 PJ van Lill, 7 Albertus (Choppie) Engelbrecht, 6 Tinus du Plessis, 5 Nico Esterhuizen, 4 Heinz Koll, 3 Raymond Dobson, 2 Sean Esterhuizen, 1 Johnny Redelinghuys
Replacements: 16 Bertus O’Callaghan, 17 Errol Weston, 18 Hauta Veii, 19 Munee Tjiueza, 20 Morné Blom, 21 Jurie van Tonder, 22 Collin de Koe, 23 Tinus Venter, 24 Sergio de la Harpe.

Blue Bulls: Ulrich Beyers, Courtnall Skosan, Bradley Moolman, Franco Maritz, Dirk Dippenaar, Louis Fouché, Dustin Jinka, Gerrit-Jan van Velze (k), CJ Stander, Tendayi Chikukwa, Cornell Hess, Mthunzi Mabeta, Frik Kirsten, Henri Bantjes, Juan Pike. Plaasvervangers: Zane Botha, Juan Schoeman, Andries Ferreira, Marnus Schoeman, Danie Faasen, JC Roos, Pieter van der Walt.

Referee: Danie Koen and Gerome Hanekom. Each took a half.