NAMIBIA’s rugby selectors have named a 25-man squad that will travel to Romania to defend the IRB Nations Cup trophy, following national trials in Windhoek on Saturday.
National coach Johan Diergaardt was however not impressed by the standard of rugby on display, saying that it would be very difficult to retain the title.Diergaardt told Namibia Sport that the standard of Namibian club rugby was way below standard and that it would be nearly impossible to retain the trophy that they won for the first time last year.’I must say that the standard of club rugby in Namibia is not up to standard, while the local players are also not fit enough. It will be nearly an impossible task to defend our trophy at the IRB Nations Cup. The standard of our rugby is just not at the right level at this stage,’ he said.The squad includes nine foreign-based professionals, although it will be without its inspirational captain Jacques Burger. Burger will have a knee scope on conclusion of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final between his English club Saracens and Leicester on May 28.Prop forward Marius Visser, who plays for Hamiltons in Cape Town, will also miss the tour after he tore his quadricep muscles and will now be out of action for up to six weeks.Veteran lock forward Wacca Kazombiaze, who represented Namibia at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, was not selected for the tour, although he could still make the World Cup squad according to Diergaardt.’Wacca was considered, but he is not up to standard at this stage and the other locks are just better at the moment. He will still be considered for the World Cup but he needs to improve on his fitness and get more game time,’ Diergaardt said.In June a provisional World Cup squad of 50 players will be selected, which will be whittled down to a final group of 30 in August.’The final squad for the World Cup is still open and all the players will be considered,’ Diergaardt said.Namibia plays against the hosts, Romania on June 10, followed by a match against Portugal on June 15. Their final match is against Georgia on June 19. The Namibian squad for IRB Nations Cup is as follows:Forwards:Johnny Redelinghuys (Wanderers), Jane du Toit (Hamiltons, Cape Town), Casper Viviers (Agen, France), Bertus O Callaghan (Wanderers), Shaun Esterhuizen (United), Heinz Koll (Wanderers), Morne Blom (United), Nico Esterhuizen (unattached), Tinus du Plessis (Wanderers), PJ van Lill (Wanderers), Ruan Kitshoff (Western Province), Jacques Nieuwenhuis (Aurillac, France), Renaud van Neel (Unam).Backs:Ryan de la Harpe (Moseley, England), Eugene Jantjies (Constant, Romania), Jacky Bock (Reho Falcon), TC Losper (Western Suburbs), Darryl de la Harpe (Western Suburbs), Piet van Zyl (Bourgoin, France), David Philander (United), Conrad Marais (Montpellier, France), Wally Winckler (Western Suburbs), McGrath van Wyk (Constant, Romania), Chrysander Botha (Kudus), Heinie Bock (Reho Falcon). – namibiasport.com.na
