Two national rugby teams will represent the country at international events starting this week. Namibia’s u20 team will compete at the World Rugby u20 Challenger Cup which starts in Chile on Friday, while the national sevens rugby team will compete at an international 7s tournament in Mauritius that forms part of the Africa 7s Series.
The u20 Challenger Cup has replaced the World Rugby u20 Trophy for second tier rugby nations where Namibia competed regularly as the African champions over the years.
In recent years, however, Namibia’s success at the Africa u20 Barthes Cup dried up as Zimbabwe and Kenya started to dominate the tournament.
Namibia’s last appeared at the World Rugby u20 Trophy in 2018, when they equalled their best performance of finishing fourth overall. After an absence of six years, they have now once again qualified for the rebranded u20 Challenger Cup after winning the Africa Cup last year.
Namibia will compete in Pool B against Canada, Belgium and Portugal while Pool A will consist of the hosts, Chile, Hong Kong, Brazil and Romania.
Namibia take on Canada in their opening match on Friday, and after the group matches the direct placement final round will be held on 17 October, with the top team in each group playing out for the title.
Namibian flyhalf Waldre Kotze said they are in positive frame of mind.
“I’m feeling quite positive. I think we as Namibians always go in as the underdogs and that gives us a bit more fire going into the games. We have a good squad and we have prepared well, so I really fancy our chances. I think we are going to cause some upsets and give the other teams a surprise,” he said.
His team mate Connor Burmeister-Nel concurred.
“I think we really have a great chance in competing there – we had a great week of preparation and all the boys are positive and looking forward to the tour. Everybody’s in the right mindset for the two weeks that lie ahead and we are very positive,” he said.
The Namibian Sevens team, meanwhile, will compete in Pool B of the Mauritius 7s tournament where they will come up against African powerhouse Kenya, Reunion and Madagascar, while Pool A will consist of South Africa, Burkina Faso, Egypt and the hosts, Mauritius.
The squad left for Cape Town on Friday to continue their preparations, before flying to Mauritius this week.
National coach Justin Nel said they fancied their chances despite being drawn in a tough group.
“Sevens is sevens and rugby is rugby – you don’t know who you are going to get, and you just have to prepare the best that you can. Kenya has been big on the sevens circuit so we know its going to be a tough one, but we will prepare the best we can for them as well as the rest of the teams that we will face,” he said.
