Namibia take WC prep to next level
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Namibia will take their preparation for this year's Rugby World Cup to the next level, when they leave for Tunisia and Romania on a three week tour which will include four international matches.
Namibia face Tunisia in Tunis on Saturday, June 7 in an Africa Cup match, then travel to Romania for the annual World Rugby Nations Cup where they will play three matches against the hosts, Georgia and the Argentinean Jaguars respectively.
Namibian coach Danie Vermeulen selected the touring party of 27 players from mostly locally based players, as the next four matches do not fall
within World Rugby’s international release window which starts on July 1.
England based Premiership players, Jacques Burger and Chrysander Botha were not considered while several South African based players, Renaldo Bothma, Rohan Kitshoff, Johan Deysel, Thorsten van Jaarsveld and Danie Dames, all have commitments with their franchises and clubs.
Vermeulen could select players in France, which includes No.8 PJ van Lill, flyhalf Theuns Kotze, lock Tjiuee Uanivi, wing Conrad Marais and prop Aranos Coetzee who will make his debut for Namibia.
The match against Tunisia will be the first match of the defence as African Cup champions and Vermeulen expects a big challenge.
"We are preparing ourselves for a tough time, the conditions will be difficult and Tunisia at home will be a completely different proposition to what they were when we beat them 45-13 in Senegal in 2013," he said.
"I believe that this is the best team we could select under the circumstances, a number of younger players get another chance to prove themselves."
It is the Nations Cup in Bucharest in Romania where Vermeulen believes his players will get valuable preparation ahead of the World Cup
"We play three matches at test match level. The pressure will be on and this is exactly what we will experience at the World Cup. A number of our players are not available and this is a chance for the younger players to show if they can handle the pressure or not," he added
Namibia squad:
Forwards: Rathony Becker, Aranos Coetzee, AJ de Klerk, Jaco Engels, Nico Esterhuyse, DG Wiese, Thomasua Forbes, Johnny Redelinghuys, Callie Swanepoel, Tjiuee Uanive, Leneve Damens, PJ van Lill, Janco Venter, Roderique Victor, Casper Viviers.
Backs: Eneill Buitendag, JC Greyling, Eugene Jantjies, Shaun Kazembi, Theuns Kotze, Conrad Marais, David Philander, Heinrich Smit, Johan Tromp, Danie van Wyk, Russell van Wyk.
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