Sevens set to thrill

SPEED and agility will be the order of the day when top international rugby players take to the field in the first ever Trustco Namibia Sevens Tournament starting at the Hage Geingob Stadium today.

The rugby event will feature 12 countries, with Namibia fielding two sides for the prestigious event that has been sponsored by Trustco Namibia to the tune of N$18 million for the next five years.So far, all the countries have arrived for the tournament which culminates in the finals tomorrow night at the same venue.Namibia Rugby Union spokesman Jerry Elago said all the systems are geared to make the tournament a big success.’Rugby lovers will surely be watching top-quality rugby from these highly skilled players who are renowned for their great performances in that discipline worldwide. We expect two action-packed days of sevens rugby and we are also looking forward to a huge turnout from the spectators. Everybody is invited to witness this spectacle, which is a chance of a lifetime and we are hopeful that it won’t be the last,’ he said.Elago said the ticket prizes are affordable for a tournament of such magnitude and urged fans to rally behind the Namibian team.He confirmed that several high-ranking officials from the International Rugby Board (IRB), Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) and the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) would be in attendance.’The idea is to make this event memorable and show the world that Namibia is also in a good position to host high-profile events such as these,’ he said.He added that the teams have all expressed satisfaction with the facilities and are eager to start with their matches.’Some of them already had practice matches among themselves and most look poised to make an impression at the event. We are happy that there is so much enthusiasm coming from these players and that they want to go out there and play for honours. The other good thing is that they are all very excited and above all, serious about this tournament and they surely don’t take it lightly. There will be competition, drama, tries and great rugby overall, that we can guarantee our fans,’ he said.The tournament favourites are Fiji and South Africa, but other countries such as Argentina, Namibia, Portugal, Zimbabwe and Uganda can all spring some surprises.At this point, each team will go into the tournament with an equal chance of winning it, but the hosts will be under pressure as they have to deliver in front of their home crowd.The Namibian national team and the invitational side consist of many young players who have little experience in sevens rugby and will rely on the fans to pull it through.The ticket prices for both days are N$80 per adult and N$40 per child.One-day tickets cost N$50 for adults and N$25 for children. Tickets can only be bought at the offices of the Namibia Rugby Union or at Trustco Namibia. corry@namibian.com.na