Under-19s to seek glory

THE Namibian under-19 rugby side have set their sights on successfully defending their title when they take on tough opposition in the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) tournament in Tunis, Tunisia, next month.

Team manager Gabriel Tjombe told The Namibian Sport after the selection of the 24 touring players at the weekend that they aim to defend their title and he believes that the current squad can pull it through. “We have a solid squad and with the level of competition now extremely high in these junior tournaments, we are more than prepared and ready to defend the title we won last year,” he said.Tjombe said although some of the players who won the tournament for Namibia have moved on due to their age, the selected new ones have shown consistency in their play at school level and have a fantastic high morale.”These young players have a winning mentality and they have showed a lot of commitment at training so far and the stiff competition at trials for positions also showed their hunger for representing the country.I have no doubt that we will do well at the tournament,” said Tjombe.The side will be coached by Namibian sevens coach Eden Meyer and his assistant will be Henk Botha.Charles Karamata is the team doctor.Tjombe said no captain has been named yet, but he expects players such as busy flanker Janee Karuaihe, who studies at the University of Cape Town (SA), and scrumhalf Ashley Tjombe, who studies and plays rugby for the Stellenbosch College in South Africa, to make an impact.The experience of fullback Robert Herridge, also studying in South Africa, will help the Namibian side immensely, while locals such as the Higher Technical School (HTS) hot-shot scrumhalf Pandeni Ueitele will also be of great value.Hooker Theo Coetzee, wing Cedrick Haraseb and prop Lloydt Busch will also be in the mix for the Namibian side and they will be expected to lead from the front as they have had international stints with the side before.Namibia is in Group A alongside Madagascar, Uganda and Morocco, while the Group B contenders are Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Kenya.Namibia’s first match is on August 21 against Madagascar, followed by their second against Uganda on August 23.They will then take on archrivals Morocco in their last match on August 26.The squad consists of 13 forwards and 11 back line players.The team departs on August 18.The final 24 players are: Lezhanne Alcock (HTS) Morne Blom, Charlton Brussel , Lloydt Busch, Kevin Cloete, Theo Coetzee, Andre De Klerk, Petrus Du Plooy, Charl Freygang, Cedric Haraseb, Robert Herridge, Barend Janse van Rensburg, Janee Karuaihe, Schalk Labuschagne, Albert Loubser, Ueitele Pandeni, Renier Pieterse, Marco Prinsloo, Maurice Richter, Henk Roets, Ashley Tjombe, Zaniel Van Rooyen, Russel Van Wyk and Andre Walters.”We have a solid squad and with the level of competition now extremely high in these junior tournaments, we are more than prepared and ready to defend the title we won last year,” he said.Tjombe said although some of the players who won the tournament for Namibia have moved on due to their age, the selected new ones have shown consistency in their play at school level and have a fantastic high morale.”These young players have a winning mentality and they have showed a lot of commitment at training so far and the stiff competition at trials for positions also showed their hunger for representing the country.I have no doubt that we will do well at the tournament,” said Tjombe.The side will be coached by Namibian sevens coach Eden Meyer and his assistant will be Henk Botha.Charles Karamata is the team doctor.Tjombe said no captain has been named yet, but he expects players such as busy flanker Janee Karuaihe, who studies at the University of Cape Town (SA), and scrumhalf Ashley Tjombe, who studies and plays rugby for the Stellenbosch College in South Africa, to make an impact.The experience of fullback Robert Herridge, also studying in South Africa, will help the Namibian side immensely, while locals such as the Higher Technical School (HTS) hot-shot scrumhalf Pandeni Ueitele will also be of great value.Hooker Theo Coetzee, wing Cedrick Haraseb and prop Lloydt Busch will also be in the mix for the Namibian side and they will be expected to lead from the front as they have had international stints with the side before.Namibia is in Group A alongside Madagascar, Uganda and Morocco, while the Group B contenders are Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Kenya.Namibia’s first match is on August 21 against Madagascar, followed by their second against Uganda on August 23.They will then take on archrivals Morocco in their last match on August 26.The squad consists of 13 forwards and 11 back line players.The team departs on August 18.The final 24 players are: Lezhanne Alcock (HTS) Morne Blom, Charlton Brussel , Lloydt Busch, Kevin Cloete, Theo Coetzee, Andre De Klerk, Petrus Du Plooy, Charl Freygang, Cedric Haraseb, Robert Herridge, Barend Janse van Rensburg, Janee Karuaihe, Schalk Labuschagne, Albert Loubser, Ueitele Pandeni, Renier Pieterse, Marco Prinsloo, Maurice Richter, Henk Roets, Ashley Tjombe, Zaniel Van Rooyen, Russel Van Wyk and Andre Walters.