Two players have walked out of the preliminary squad over Head Coach Dave Waterston's management style while assistant coach Paul Kaplan has resigned citing differences with Waterston.

Winger Rian van Wyk and another player, believed to be a winger/fullback, called it quits after "losing faith" in Waterston and the entire Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) Executive Committee.

Media reports this week said Kaplan had claimed Waterston had no respect for the players and ran the team as a "a one-man show".

Van Wyk yesterday told The Namibian: "Things are definitely not right with rugby in this country.

If the top is not organised, then the bottom will be sour".

Van Wyk also accused Waterston of failing to back Namibian-based players and repeatedly choosing players who turn-out for provincial sides in South Africa instead.

During Namibia's test match against South Africa A recently, Waterston allegedly invited Johan Jenkins from South Africa, not knowing that he already stopped playing rugby two months before.

Van Wyk said the other reason he had pulled out was the continuous non-availability of the South Africa-based Waterston at this "crucial stage ahead of the World Cup".

"We need to be a motivated, a well prepared team for the world cup.

We cannot go there and make 'Mickey Mouses' of ourselves.

"He (Waterston) breaks players.

He compares himself with Kitch Christie (former Bok coach), but it is a known fact that Kitch never humiliated or insulted his players," he said.

Waterston could not be reached for comment in Johannesburg where he runs an insurance company, although messages were left on his cellphone.

Meanwhile, NRU President Dirk Conradie said that Waterston "is the commander of the team and his personality towards players cannot be changed".

He told The Namibian yesterday that as head coach, Waterston had shown that his plan for the team was working as they had qualified for World Cup.

On Waterston not being present at the teams training sessions most of the time, Conradie said: "That's why he has appointed assistant coaches to do the job in his absence".

Van Wyk was part of a preliminary squad.

The final squad for the World Cup, due to start in October, will be announced within the next few days.

* Meanwhile, a Namibian national side will play Uganda in a semi-final match of the Confederation of African Rugby Cup on Sunday at the Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium.

The match starts at 14h00.

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