The national rugby side, better known as the Welwitschias, went down to the Griquas by 18 to 33 in the first installment of the Dr Hage Geingob Project Rugby Cup contested in Windhoek on Saturday.

The match played in front of a sizeable crowd and attended by the Head of State Dr Hage Geingob and other dignitaries did not go the Welwitschias' way as many thought would be the case.

Things turned out to be one-sided as the visitors were in the thick of things scoring the tries at ease.