From the Sidelines

A NEW era has dawned for Namibian rugby after the mother body received a whopping N$6 million, which will be divided into three years of N$2 million each.

The major boost came from the country’s premier sport sponsor, Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC ). It is the first time that rugby receives such a significant amount of money after years of financial problems that saw the national team going ill-prepared to the 2003 Rugby World Cup due to limited training camps.The team has qualified for this year’s World Cup to be staged in France and it is expected that they will be well prepared with about three months to go.Although the sponsors did not specify how the N$2 million must be spent each year, the good news is that there will be more international matches that will be lined up for the national team in the future.In fact, the team will be involved in several friendly matches as part of their warm-up ahead of the world showpiece which was won by England in Australia in 2003.Namibia stands virtually no chance in the competition, but their qualification makes them winners already after emerging as one of the top rugby-playing nations in Africa.Money has been a problem in many sport codes in the country and the rugby administrators, with the influence of their patron, Hage Geingob, can count themselves lucky to have clinched such a deal with the country’s main cellular operator.Hats off to MTC too, which has taken on the huge responsibility of sustaining Namibian sport financially.The company is with no doubt the biggest financial contributor to sport and they have demonstrated that with their investment in football, cricket, golf, tennis and athletics.Rugby, being one of the codes which has some of the finest rugby players on the continent, under the leadership of Dirk Conradie, will now be required to produce the goods.The goods have been produced by making the plane to the World Cup, but much more needs to be done on developing the game in general.The union now has the task to spread the game to the regions and creating awareness for more players to be part of it.There is a need for regional structures to be put in place to cultivate interest at school level.Although schools have competitive leagues in place, it is important for players to come through the ranks and establish themselves in the national teams.So far there are no national under-17, under-19, under-20 or under-23 sides in place.Some of these teams only come to the fore when there are continental or international championships, but there is hardly any continuity.It will be fundamental for the union to set up a selection committee that will identify talent at school level in the regions and to ensure that those players serve the respective national teams.The bottom line is that a lot of development has to be done because most of the current players in especially the senior side will not be there within the next five to ten years.The union, with the help of its regional structures which it needs to set up, has to have a sound base of players who can be recruited for national teams.It will also be crucial for national teams, especially the senior team, to play as many matches as possible.A calendar of international friendlies and test matches should be drawn up to ensure that Namibia always prepares well for international tournaments such as the World Cup in the future.On the domestic scene, the union should organise at least three top-class competitions for the clubs.It is time for the rugby bosses to realise that there is a lot of potential in the sport and with the right administrations, top-class referees and an effective development structure in place, all will be rosy for rugby for years.The sponsorship by MTC should mark the end of the long rocky road that the union has experienced.It should be time for commitment and dedication to the game and bearing in mind that the players are the most important people in the game.It is the first time that rugby receives such a significant amount of money after years of financial problems that saw the national team going ill-prepared to the 2003 Rugby World Cup due to limited training camps.The team has qualified for this year’s World Cup to be staged in France and it is expected that they will be well prepared with about three months to go.Although the sponsors did not specify how the N$2 million must be spent each year, the good news is that there will be more international matches that will be lined up for the national team in the future.In fact, the team will be involved in several friendly matches as part of their warm-up ahead of the world showpiece which was won by England in Australia in 2003.Namibia stands virtually no chance in the competition, but their qualification makes them winners already after emerging as one of the top rugby-playing nations in Africa.Money has been a problem in many sport codes in the country and the rugby administrators, with the influence of their patron, Hage Geingob, can count themselves lucky to have clinched such a deal with the country’s main cellular operator.Hats off to MTC too, which has taken on the huge responsibility of sustaining Namibian sport financially.The company is with no doubt the biggest financial contributor to sport and they have demonstrated that with their investment in football, cricket, golf, tennis and athletics.Rugby, being one of the codes which has some of the finest rugby players on the continent, under the leadership of Dirk Conradie, will now be required to produce the goods.The goods have been produced by making the plane to the World Cup, but much more needs to be done on developing the game in general.The union now has the task to spread the game to the regions and creating awareness for more players to be part of it.There is a need for regional structures to be put in place to cultivate interest at school level.Although schools have competitive leagues in place, it is important for players to come through the ranks and establish themselves in the national teams.So far there are no national under-17, under-19, under-20 or under-23 sides in place.Some of these teams only come to the fore when there are continental or international championships, but there is hardly any continuity.It will be fundamental for the union to set up a selection committee that will identify talent at school level in the regions and to ensure that those players serve the respective national teams.The bottom line is that a lot of development has to be done because most of the current players in especially the senior side will not be there within the next five to ten years.The union, with the help of its regional structures which it needs to set up, has to have a sound base of players who can be recruited for national teams.It will also be crucial for national teams, especially the senior team, to play as many matches as possible.A calendar of international friendlies and test matches should be drawn up to ensure that Namibia always prepares well for international tournaments such as the World Cup in the future.On the domestic scene, the union should organise at least three top-class competitions for the clubs.It is time for the rugby bosses to realise that there is a lot of potential in the sport and with the right administrations, top-class referees and an effective development structure in place, all will be rosy for rugby for years.The sponsorship by MTC should mark the end of the long rocky road that the union has experienced.It should be time for commitment and dedication to the game and bearing in mind that the players are the most important people in the game.