Kick-off is 15h30, but a curtain raiser between Swakopmund Rugby Club and Unam RC at 14h00 will serve as an appetiser for the main match.

A total of 13 players for tomorrow's match have never played for Namibia on senior level and the match will be a real test for them as they will be required to deliver the goods on home soil.

Some of the players have turned out for the Namibia A side, but the majority were picked on their performance on club level after a host of experienced players said they were not available for national duty due to problems with the management of the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU).

Despite the Namibians' lack of experience on the big stage, Namibian team manager Buks Bock believes Madagascar is in for a big surprise.

"This bunch of players have a lot of energy and are full of running.

Although they are not as heavy as their [more senior] counterparts, they have the ability to score tries as most are mobile and quick," he said.

In their last encounter, Namibia beat Madagascar 112-0 at home.

Madagascar have so far beaten Ivory Coast in the CAR match and they plan to down Namibia in their own back yard tomorrow.

In their last preparation match, Namibia beat North Western Cape (South Africa) 29-18 at Oranjemund and the players are said to be in top shape.

"They played well in that match and most were fit enough and I think they are more than ready for the match on Saturday," said Bock.

Veteran lock Heino Senekal will lead the Namibian players as captain and will be deputised by Jacky Bock, who will make his debut tomorrow.

Namibia are the defending champions of the cup and the new crop of players will be expected to keep the winning streak of their predecessors intact.

The Namibian national team played in its second Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2003, and despite a poor performance, bounced back to win the CAR Cup the following year.

A few weeks ago, the Namibian Under-18 rugby side delivered a fantastic performance in a qualifying mini-tournament that was held in Windhoek and booked themselves a ticket to the Under-19 Rugby World Cup in Dubai next year.

A victory for the senior side tomorrow will restore players' confidence in the national side, and will hopefully inspire the management to serve the game with more purpose despite the disputes that are going on.

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