Namibia minnows once again

WINDHOEK – They may be the north-western neighbours of one of the favourites to lift the World Cup on October 20, but Namibia will be lucky to win a single match at this year’s showpiece.

The men from the former South West Africa are expected to take a beating in France even though they have a rich rugby tradition and boast several players who ply their trade in the South African Currie Cup competition. In 1989, the country finished third in the Currie Cup and just two years later they managed home series wins over Italy and Ireland.Since then Namibian rugby has been in decline and somewhat surprisingly though Namibia have become a World Cup institution, featuring at the tournaments in Wales in 1999 and Australia in 2003.At the 1999 tournament they suffered defeats to France, Fiji and Canada, while in 2003 they suffered a humiliating 142-0 defeat to eventual runners-up Australia.After a battling campaign to qualify for this year’s showpiece, Namibia eventually beat Morocco in a two-leg qualifying tie to advance.Namibia, like in their previous two appearances at the World Cup, will again heavily rely on their players who are part of the South African Currie Cup teams to make an impact in France.Here one thinks of captain Kees Lensing, the Sharks prop, who at one stage during his time with the Northern Bulls, was considered the strongest scrummager in South Africa.He will be banking on the support of fellow Currie Cup stars such as Skipper Badenhorst, Jacques Burger, Jane du Toit, Hugo Horn, Jacques Nieuwenhuis and Piet van Zyl.Badenhorst is a seasoned campaigner with the Coastal Sharks who has a wealth of experience, while Van Zyl is a stalwart at centre in the Boland provincial team.The Namibians will be coached by former Currie Cup player and Namibia scrumhalf Hakkies Husselman, who ran out in Australia at the 2003 event.Namibia are in the so-called group of death, Group D, in France, where they’ll come up against the hosts, Ireland, Argentina and Georgia.COACH Hakkies Husselman With so many of their players featuring for teams outside Namibia’s borders, Husselman will only have limited time to prepare his side, with the only practice match scheduled for August 15 against the might of the Springboks in Cape Town.Husselman will no doubt look to Georgia clash as the one his team can win which would be their first victory in a World Cup tournament.By the time Namibia get to France where they will face hosts, Argentina, Ireland and Georgia, coach Hakkies Husselman would have been in the job for a mere two and a half months.The former Namibian scrumhalf, who represented his country in four Test matches, with his highlight being part of the 2003 World Cup squad, only took charge of the minnows at the end of June this year.He succeeded former coach Johan Venter.The 34-year-old, the youngest coach in France, will draw on his intimate knowledge of many of his squad members, with whom he played Test rugby, to achieve some sort of success in France.Husselman was a more than capable scrumhalf in his day, turning out on numerous occasions in South Africa’s Currie Cup competition for the North West Leopards team.KEY PLAYER Kees Lensing, prop The 29-year-old Kees Lensing is an experienced campaigner who has featured in the Super 14 competition for both the Northern Bulls and Coastal Sharks.He’s also played for the Leeds Tykes in the English Premiership and at 125kg is a serious chunk of African beef at tighthead prop.Lensing was a key player for the Namibians during the 2003 World Cup in Australia where he started all his team’s matches against Australia, Ireland, Romania and Argentina.His powerful scrummaging is sure to come under the spotlight against the Argentinians during this year’s Group D contest in France.He will be a key player in a relatively inexperienced team.Nampa-AFPIn 1989, the country finished third in the Currie Cup and just two years later they managed home series wins over Italy and Ireland.Since then Namibian rugby has been in decline and somewhat surprisingly though Namibia have become a World Cup institution, featuring at the tournaments in Wales in 1999 and Australia in 2003.At the 1999 tournament they suffered defeats to France, Fiji and Canada, while in 2003 they suffered a humiliating 142-0 defeat to eventual runners-up Australia.After a battling campaign to qualify for this year’s showpiece, Namibia eventually beat Morocco in a two-leg qualifying tie to advance.Namibia, like in their previous two appearances at the World Cup, will again heavily rely on their players who are part of the South African Currie Cup teams to make an impact in France.Here one thinks of captain Kees Lensing, the Sharks prop, who at one stage during his time with the Northern Bulls, was considered the strongest scrummager in South Africa.He will be banking on the support of fellow Currie Cup stars such as Skipper Badenhorst, Jacques Burger, Jane du Toit, Hugo Horn, Jacques Nieuwenhuis and Piet van Zyl.Badenhorst is a seasoned campaigner with the Coastal Sharks who has a wealth of experience, while Van Zyl is a stalwart at centre in the Boland provincial team.The Namibians will be coached by former Currie Cup player and Namibia scrumhalf Hakkies Husselman, who ran out in Australia at the 2003 event.Namibia are in the so-called group of death, Group D, in France, where they’ll come up against the hosts, Ireland, Argentina and Georgia.COACH Hakkies Husselman With so many of their players featuring for teams outside Namibia’s borders, Husselman will only have limited time to prepare his side, with the only practice match scheduled for August 15 against the might of the Springboks in Cape Town.Husselman will no doubt look to Georgia clash as the one his team can win which would be their first victory in a World Cup tournament.By the time Namibia get to France where they will face hosts, Argentina, Ireland and Georgia, coach Hakkies Husselman would have been in the job for a mere two and a half months.The former Namibian scrumhalf, who represented his country in four Test matches, with his highlight being part of the 2003 World Cup squad, only took charge of the minnows at the end of June this year.He succeeded former coach Johan Venter.The 34-year-old, the youngest coach in France, will draw on his intimate knowledge of many of his squad members, with whom he played Test rugby, to achieve some sort of success in France.Husselman was a more than capable scrumhalf in his day, turning out on numerous occasions in South Africa’s Currie Cup competition for the North West Leopards team.KEY PLAYER Kees Lensing, prop The 29-year-old Kees Lensing is an experienced campaigner who has featured in the Super 14 competition for both the Northern Bulls and Coastal Sharks.He’s also played for the Leeds Tykes in the English Premiership and at 125kg is a serious chunk of African beef at tighthead prop.Lensing was a key player for the Namibians during the 2003 World Cup in Australia where he started all his team’s matches against Australia, Ireland, Romania and Argentina.His powerful scrummaging is sure to come under the spotlight against the Argentinians during this year’s Group D contest in France.He will be a key player in a relatively inexperienced team.Nampa-AFP