With Rugby World Cup preparations well under way and the first of many pre-tournament friendlys beginning this week, the sports media has turned its attention to the preparation and prospects of many of world rugby’s top teams.
However, one team due to be in New Zealand this autumn that you won’t see much of in the sports pages is Namibia. The African side are ranked 20th in the IRB rankings and were the only side in the 2007 World Cup in France not to gain a group point. They suffered heavy defeats to Argentina, France and Georgia while putting in a better performance in a 32-17 loss to Ireland.
Things certainly won’t be much easier this time round for the Namibians as they face defending world champions South Africa in Pool D as well as Fiji, Samoa and Wales. Despite this, captain and Saracens flanker Jacques Burger remains confident that his side will be able to pick up their first World Cup win.
He admitted in an interview with Namibia Sport: “I believe we can come off with one win, we’re not going to target any side but I think we’ve got what it takes to win a match in the World Cup.”
However, he certainly wasn’t getting carried away as he added: “It’s going to be tough to win any games. We’re playing against top sides so if we can win any game it would be amazing.
“If we don’t, we want to perform well, we’re not going just going to be looking at results, we just want to perform at our absolute best and make our country proud.”
Burger has just finished a highly successful season with Saracens where he was named the club’s player of the season and featured in their Premiership Grand Final win over Leicester. While Burger’s the only name likely to be known among English rugby fans, he’s not the only player playing in the professional game. Ruan Kitshoff and Danie Damens play for the Western Province and Leopards Currie Cup sides respectively while scrum half Ryan de la Harpe plays for Birmingham side Moseley and has made a number of appearances for Sale.
 |
| Namibia Rugby – Photo: ozjimbob |
Besides these and a small number of other players, the Namibian rugby squad is made up of amateurs with the sport receiving very little funding – a fact that Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) CEO Christo Alexander is all too aware of.
He was forced to cancel two of the sides World Cup warm up matches against an Argentina Pumas Invitational side due to a lack of money.
He explained: “We would have had to cover all their costs. We do not have that kind of money, especially since we are going to the World Cup.”
Instead the side is having to make do with just a friendly against a South African Universities side this week at the teams stadium – the Hage Geingob Stadium.
Alexander emphasised the importance of this match by saying: “We are using the match as preparation for the World Cup and it is much needed game time.”
Despite their financial restrictions and having less than 1,000 players to choose from, the NRU remain hopeful of a first World Cup win. Under the leadership of one of the Premiership’s leading players, Namibia will be hoping that 2011 is the time for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment