Namibian XV: Hougaard one of five Boks
Saracens-bound Springbok Derick Hougaard heads a list of five Springboks included in a Namibian Invitation team that will face a South African XV in Windhoek next Friday, May 29.
Hougaard, who left South Africa late last year to join mentor Heyneke Meyer at Leicester Tigers, is set to join a growing band of South Africans at the Brendon Venter-coached Saracens club in the new Northern Hemisphere season.
However, next week he gets a chance to remind Bok coach Peter de Villiers of his international credentials.
The other Boks are fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen, wing Tonderai Chavhanga, centre Meyer Bosman and centre Wayne Julies.
Namibian coach John Williams named Hougaard, Van der Westhuyzen, Chavhanga and Bosman in his starting XV, while Julies will play off the replacement bench.
The squad is further strengthened by experienced Super 14 players like Rory Kockott, Duane Vermeulen, Nico Breedt, David de Villiers and Richardt Strauss.
Namibia will be captained by former Bulls and Sharks prop Kees Lensing, who is his country’s regular skipper and also led them at the 2007 World Cup in France.
Other Namibian internationals, who ply their trade in South Africa and were members of the 2007 World Cup squad, are loose forwards Jacques Burger and Jacques Nieuwenhuis.
Other South Africans joining Julies on the bench are Blue Bulls prop Ruan Vermeulen, Cheetahs prop Kobus Calldo and Lions lock Anton van Zyl.
Other Namibians in the squad are wing Llewellyn Winckler and replacements Hugo Horn (hooker), Johnny Redelinghuys (prop), Jurie van Tonder (scrumhalf) and Chrysander Botha (fullback).
Namibian Invitation XV: 15 Jaco van der Westhuizen, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Frikkie Welsh, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Llewellyn Winckler, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Jacques Burger, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Jacques Nieuwenhuis, 5 Nico Breedt, 4 Dawid de Villiers, 3 Kobus Calldo, 3 Richardt Strauss, 1 Kees Lensing (captain).
Replacements: 16 Hugo Horn, 17 Johnny Redelinghuys, 18 Ruan Vermeulen, 19 Anton van Zyl, 20 Wayne Julies, 21 Jurie van Tonder, 22 Chrysander Botha.
Date: Friday, May 29
Venue: Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Kick-off: 18.00 (16.00 GMT)
Referee: TBC
* Can this team hold the South African visitors at bay?
