Namibian rugby side lose in Kenya

NAMIBIA’S chances of qualifying for the 2007 Rugby World Cup took a knock when they lost 30-26 to Kenya in Nairobi on Saturday.

The halftime score was 20-11 in Kenya’s favour. Kenya dominated the first half, running in three tries to race into a 20-3 lead by the 35th minute.Winger Dan Weku scored two and Mark Emitati and Paul Sadat one try each, while Namibia could only reply through a Morne Schreuder penalty.Just before halftime Namibia were back in contention after a try by centre Luwayne Botes, converted by Schreuder.Namibia grabbed the initiative after the break and a second try by Botes and a penalty by Schreuder made the score 20-19 in favour of Kenya.Kenya however stretched their lead through a drop goal by Oscar Osir and an excellent try by Lavin Asego in the 73rd minute, when he followed up a kick ahead and scored under the posts.Moses Kola added the conversion to put Kenya 30-19 ahead.Namibia rallied strongly in the final minutes and centre Du Preez Grobler finally scored a try, converted by Schreuder in the 79th minute, but it was too little too late and Kenya held on for the victory.The result means that Namibia must beat Tunisia by at least 17 points in their Windhoek World Cup qualifier on September 30, and hope that Tunisia beat Kenya in Tunis.Namibian coach Johan Venter was despondent after the game, saying that Namibian rugby was on the decline.”We had a young and inexperienced team with eight new caps, and the players made a lot of basic errors.”I am very disappointed in the South African referee, who was not up to standard.He awarded about five penalties to Kenya just because our captain Herman Lintvelt queried his decisions,” he said.www.namibiasport.com.naKenya dominated the first half, running in three tries to race into a 20-3 lead by the 35th minute.Winger Dan Weku scored two and Mark Emitati and Paul Sadat one try each, while Namibia could only reply through a Morne Schreuder penalty.Just before halftime Namibia were back in contention after a try by centre Luwayne Botes, converted by Schreuder.Namibia grabbed the initiative after the break and a second try by Botes and a penalty by Schreuder made the score 20-19 in favour of Kenya.Kenya however stretched their lead through a drop goal by Oscar Osir and an excellent try by Lavin Asego in the 73rd minute, when he followed up a kick ahead and scored under the posts.Moses Kola added the conversion to put Kenya 30-19 ahead.Namibia rallied strongly in the final minutes and centre Du Preez Grobler finally scored a try, converted by Schreuder in the 79th minute, but it was too little too late and Kenya held on for the victory.The result means that Namibia must beat Tunisia by at least 17 points in their Windhoek World Cup qualifier on September 30, and hope that Tunisia beat Kenya in Tunis.Namibian coach Johan Venter was despondent after the game, saying that Namibian rugby was on the decline.”We had a young and inexperienced team with eight new caps, and the players made a lot of basic errors.”I am very disappointed in the South African referee, who was not up to standard.He awarded about five penalties to Kenya just because our captain Herman Lintvelt queried his decisions,” he said.www.namibiasport.com.na