NAMIBIA will have their work cut out to beat Spain when they meet in the final Windhoek Lager Tri-Nations Rugby Championship match tomorrow, after the visitors completed a resounding 47-14 victory against Zimbabwe on Wednesday night.
Spain held a narrow 14-9 lead at halftime but turned up the tempo in the second half to run out comfortable winners in the end. Spain scored a total of six tries, while left wing Javier Carrion added 15 points with the boot. Spain’s forwards set the platform for victory as they dominated the scrums and put in some impressive driving mauls. Hooker Juan Anaya opened the scoring when he burst over in the corner after eight minutes, while two penalties by Carrion put them 11-0 ahead. Zimbabwe clawed their way back with three penalties by flyhalf Tichafara Makwanya and at halftime were right in the game at 14-9 down. Spain took control in the second half as they battered away at Zimbabwe’s defence. Two minutes into the half, Anaya went over for his second try after an impressive driving maul by the forwards, with Carrion adding the conversion. Captain and flanker Jon Magunazelaia went over after sustained pressure by the forwards, while replacement fullback Cesar Sempere cut through Zimbabwe’s defence to score a try, converted by Carrion, to make the score 33-9.Zimbabwean scrumhalf Scotty Jones scored a try from the restart, but Spain soon increased their lead when centre Corey Smith intercepted the ball and ran 30m to dot down, with Carrion adding the conversion. Right wing Matias Tudela scored from another intercept in the final minute, with Sempere adding the conversion to make the final score 47-14. NAMIBIAN TASK Spain will now meet Namibia in the final match of the series tomorrow afternoon and on this performance, Namibia will have to be at their best to win the match. Namibia only managed a narrow 37-33 win against Zimbabwe last weekend, but their match against Spain should be a much closer affair than Spain’s victory margin against Zimbabwe would suggest. On Wednesday night, Zimbabwe were still in the match at halftime, but some poor defence and two opportunistic intercept tries saw Spain pulling away in the second half. Spain’s forwards were however impressive and Namibia will have to contain them up front if they hope to win the match. The Namibian pack has been strengthened by the inclusion of veteran hooker Cor van Tonder and star flanker Tinus du Plessis, while Sergio de la Harpe replaces Chrysander Botha at left wing. With Du Plessis back in the mix, Namibia should do well in the hunt for the loose ball, but they will have to improve their scrummaging, on last Saturday’s performance. Namibia’s new lock pairing of Muno Kasiringua and Stefan Neustadt both had fine debuts against Zimbabwe, but they will have their work cut out in the lineouts against Spain’s big locks David Barrera and Jesus Recuerda, who dominated against Zimbabwe. However, in a late change, Stef Botha has been included at flank in place of Renaud van Neel, who withdrew due to a neck injury, while Victor Rodrigues is also included amongst the substitutes. Meanwhile, the Namibia Rugby Union has announced that all scholars will be allowed to enter free of charge. For adults, tickets on the Main Stand will cost N$50 and N$30 on the Open Stand. The gates will open at 10h00, while the first curtain raiser matches will start at 11h30. The test match between Namibia and Spain will start at 16h00. There will also be a beer tent with several big screen monitors where rugby fans can watch the test between South Africa and Scotland.
