Novel Motor Company and NRU join forces 

Novel Ford Motor Company yesterday came on board as a mobility partner of the Namibia Rugby Union in a long-term partnership to the value of N$2,5 million. 

With the Africa u20 Barthes Cup trophy being proudly displayed after Namibia’s success in Zimbabwe over the weekend, Novel Ford’s CEO JP Pretorius announced the sponsorship of three of its brands – the Jaecoo, Jetour and Ford Wildtrack X to better equip the NRU to carry out its programmes throughout the country. 

“For us Novel Motor Company it’s a proud moment as we join hands with the NRU, an institution not only representing sporting excellence in Namibia, but also embodying resilience, unity and passion,” he said. 

“At Novel Motors through our brands Jaecoo, Jetour and Ford Wildtrack X, we share these very same values. Each vehicle we offer stands for innovation, strength and spirit of adventure, qualities that mirror the commitment and the character of the Namibian rugby team,” he said. 

“This partnership is more than about logos, jerseys, banners and matches. It’s about investing in our communities, supporting dreams and building a future where young athletes can thrive and this cup is testimony to that,” he added. 

“Through this sponsorship we aim to empower the next generation, to provide better opportunities for grassroots development and to reinforce the belief that success is achieved together through hard work, perseverance and pride. Rugby teaches us team work, respect and integrity – values that are central to how we do busines within our Novel Motor Group,” he said. 

Namibia’s director of rugby Jacques Burger said the partnership will play a crucial role in strengthening their high performance programme as they prepare for the 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifiers which will take place in Uganda in July this year. 

“As director of rugby, now equipped with the Ford Wildtrack X, I’ll be able to cover vast distances from the southern regions of Namibia and beyond, ensuring that the high performance structures are fully operational and accessible to players throghout Namibia,” he said. 

“Under the proud banners of Jaecoo, Jetour and Wildtrack X, Namibia will host Uganda on 14 June at the coast; and the Pumas on 21 June and Italy on 27 June at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek,” he added. 

Burger also congratulated the u20 team on winning the Barthes Cup. 

“It’s been a great team effort by everybody involved within the NRU. We made it our priority to bring back the trophy this year – 2018 was the last time we actually won the Barthes Cup – so it was extremely important to bring this back to Namibia. And with the eye on the 2027, a lot of these youngsters will possibly be in contention for that World Cup spot. So I want to encourage everybody in the u20 group to keep working hard, and to keep making us proud,” he said. 

“They’ve done exactly that – they went over to Zimbabwe and put in a couple of great performances. They were united, I spoke to the team manager as well, how well the boys bonded through tough times, how well they connected with other people and the other teams as well. I think that’s what rugby is about and that’s what we want to be about as well with Namibian rugby and with Novel Ford now coming on board as well. It’s about the relationships and that’s how we can grow rugby in Namibia. This is a step in the right direction, there are some big months coming up for Namibia in June and July, with the World Cup qualifiers, so I’m nervously excited and I can’t wait to get going,” he added.