National rugby U/20 training squad named

THE Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) yesterday announced a preliminary training squad of 40 players to start preparing for next year’s IRB Junior World Trophy tournament.

The provisional date for the tournament is set for end May and beginning of June and will be played in Chile.Trials will be held towards the end of January to select a final group of 30 players. More players could be added to the training group ahead of the trials, said NRU administrative consultant Pieter Fick.The players are expected to report for training at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek on Monday at 17h00. ‘A zero tolerance policy for absence without a valid excuse will be in place. If a player does not attend training without a valid excuse made prior to the training session with the team manager or coach, the player will be omitted from the training group,’ Fick said. The team will be coached by Jood Opperman, who will be assisted by Vince Dreyer and team manager Gabriel Tjombe.Frikkie Maartens is the strength and conditioning coach, while a physiotherapist is still to be announced.The training squad reads as follows: Quinton Esterhuizen, Gerhard Lotter, Manie Vermaak, Jeripiko Mahaepiza, Janco Venter, DG Wiese, Dennis Jacobs, Wian Conradie, Asher Coetzee, Des Lee Beukes, Donovan Kandjii, Daniel Arries, Handre Bezuidenhoudt, Leon Feris, Denver Muroro, Hannes Dirsurwei, GD Orlam, Ashlow Morkel, MC Jacobie, Cody La Cock, MP Pretorius, Andries Rossouw, Ethan Beukes, Emmo Dresselhaus, Carl William Freygang, Johan Lambert, Robert Isaacs, Francois Roberts, Alcino Izaacs, JP Walters, Aston Nash, Robert Mbeeli, Shalako Groenewaldt, Divan Visser, Luvelle Delie (Dolphin), Danray Du Plessis, Richard Voigts, Lorezo Louis, Charlie Fourie and Eaton Roberts.