The SWD Eagles turned in a strong second-half performance to see off the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias 54-23 (halftime 17-9) in their Currie Cup First Division match at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday.
SWD had smashed the men from Namibia 96-5 in Currie Cup qualifying earlier in the season with the Welwitschias enduring a torrid qualifying campaign as they lost all 14 games while conceding 936 points.
But the hosts were made to work hard in the first half as they eked out a 10-point lead but they eventually took control of the contest as they ran in seven tries in total with the visitors managing two tries of their own while flyhalf Eugene Jantjies ended with 13 points as he kicked three first-half penalties and two conversions.
The hosts opened the scoring in the first minute when flank Thorleif Halvorsen barged his way over before two Jantjies penalties saw the visitors take a one-point lead after 25 minutes.
But SWD were starting to settle and they ran in two tries before the break, from flank Andisa Ntsila and scrumhalf Johannes Steyn, as they went to the break leading 17-9.
SWD scored the first points of the second half when hooker Mark Pretorius nabbed his first try of the contest before the Welwitschias cut the deficit to 10 points when prop AJ de Klerk scored a converted try.
But the rest of the half was almost one-way traffic as the Eagles added to their lead with tries from Pretorius, lock Lodewyk Uys, replacement Dillin Snel and a penalty try before the Welwitschias scored a late consolation try from replacement centre Lesley Klim.
SCORERS
SWD Eagles – Tries: Thorleif Halvorsen, Andisa Ntsila, Johannes Steyn, Mark Pretorius (2), Lodewyk Uys, Dillin Snel, Penalty Try; Conversions: Johan Graaf (7).
Welwitschias – Try: AJ de Klerk, Lesley Klim; Conversions: Eugene Jantjies (2); Penalties: Jantjies (3).
