The first encounter is on 5 November when the Dr Hage Geingob Cup will feature rugby for the first time when the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias take on the South African franchise, the Windhoek Draught Griquas in Windhoek.
After that the squad will be trimmed down to 28 players who will travel to Europe for two test matches against Spain in Madrid on 12 November, and Canada in the Netherlands a week later.
Half of the squad are overseas-based professionals, and half are locals who have impressed this season, and the competition for places is bound to hot up before the final 28-man squad for Europe is selected.
Of the foreign professionals, several play in South Africa for Currie Cup franchise or university teams, while some are based in Europe at established rugby nations like France and England, and upcoming nations like Spain, Romania and Poland.
Several players also ply their trade in Major League Rugby in the United States.
Competition for places will be tough with all the key positions covered by experienced and upcoming talented players.
Amongst the front row forwards, Aranos Coetzee and Louis van der Westhuizen of the Cheetahs, as well as Torsten van Jaarsveld of Bayonne in France, bring a lot of World Cup experience, while Casper Viviers of Nantes has also been recalled after representing Namibia at the 2015 World Cup.
They will compete for places with some upcoming local-based players like Chemigan Beukes, Jason Benade, Jano Otto, Nelius Theron, Herchell van Wyk and Wicus Jacobs of Grootfontein, who won the player of the tournament award at the recent Windhoek Draught Franchise 10s tournament.
The lock position is also well covered with PJ van Lill, now playing for Valence Romans in France, and a veteran of three world cups, leading the foreign legion which includes Max Katjijeko of Tel Aviv Heat; Adriaan Ludick of Limoges, France; Ruan Ludick of Pamiers; and Johan Retief of Griquas.
Their local competition comes in the shape of Johan Luttig of Grootfontein and Diamando Tjombe of Western Suburbs.
There is a lot of talent amongst the loose forwards, including USA-based Adriaan Booysen (Dallas Jackals) and Wian Conradie (New England Free Jacks); Prince !Gaoseb of Tel Aviv Heat, Bakkies Rossouw of Steaua Bucuresti in Romania and Janco Venter of the Griquas.
They will receive tough competition from local players who have impressed this season like Oderich Mouton of Unam who won the backline player of the tournament at the Windhoek Draught Franchise 10s, Cameron Langenhoven and Joshua Jacobs of Kudus, and newcomer Darius van Solms of Wanderers.
Amongst the backs, the scrumhalf position is well covered with Damian Stevens of New Orleans Gold, USA, and Helarius Kisting of Romanian team Baia Mare, competing against upcoming locals Oela Blaauw of United and Jacques Theron of Wanderers, who captained Team Windhoek Lager to the inaugural Windhoek Draught Franchise 10s trophy last weekend.
There are also strong candidates at flyhalf where national incumbents Cliven Louber of Utah Warriors (USA) and PW Steenkamp of Orkan Sochaczew in Poland, face competition from Wanderers’ talented Andre van der Berg.
Johan Deysel, who captained Namibia at the 2015 and 2019 world cups, and plays for French club Colomiers, returns at centre, along with Danco Burger of Orkan Sochaczew in Poland, Gerswin Mouton of Wits University and Le Roux Malan of Cape Town University and the Natal Sharks, who also played for the New England Free Jacks in the USA.
They will be joined by Divan Rossouw of the Golden Lions in South Africa and Milan van Wyk od New Mexico Tech in USA.
The other local-based players backline players include Alcino Izaacs, Lesley Klim, Lorenzo Louis and Darryl Wellman of Unam; Justin Newman, Chad Plato and PJ Walters of Kudus; and Warren Ludwig of Wanderers.
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