SA teams snub Namibian XV
The Namibian Invitation team due to face a South African XV in Windhoek next Friday is struggling to confirm players for the fixture, after the Sharks, Cheetahs and Western Province refused to release invited players.
The confusion started after a team was released on Thursday, which included the names of players that have been invited to play in the match, rather than the actual team list.
Cheetahs players Meyer Bosman (centre), David de Villiers, Nico Breedt (both locks), Richardt Strauss (hooker) and Kobus Calldo (prop) will instead be busy preparing for the encounter against the British and Irish Lions on June 6, while Western Province’s Duane Vermeulen (flank) and Tonderai Chavhanga (wing) also won’t be making the trip to Windhoek.
It has also been reported that the Sharks want an insurance policy to release scrumhalf Rory Kockott for the match, therefore his participation in the match is also highly unlikely.
Willem Strauss, promoter of the match, has acknowledged that the Namibian team’s plans have been affected by the withdrawals. However, he confirmed to rugby365.com that the four Springboks, Derick Hougaard (flyhalf), Jaco van der Westhuyzen (fullback), Danie Coetzee and Marco Wentzel will be available.
“The team that went out [Thursday] was not the confirmed line-up,” Strauss told rugby365.com.
“The squad has definitely not been confirmed but the four Springboks, Danie Coetzee, Derrick Hougaard, Marco Wentzel and Jaco van der Westhuyzen will be available to play.”
Strauss stressed that the team will be captained by former Bulls and Sharks prop Kees Lensing while other Namibians such as Jacques Burger, Jacques Nieuwenhuis, Llewellyn Winckler, Hugo Horn, Johnny Redelinghuys, Jurie van Tonder and Chrysander Botha should all be available for the match.
While only half of the squad has been confirmed, Strauss said the Bulls have agreed to release players for the match and he is hoping to have a confirmed Namibian XV by Monday.
By Ebrahim Moerat
* Do you think playing a Namibian XV will be good preparation for the Boks? Let us know…
