NAMIBIA’S Welwitschias continued their good showing at the IRB Nations Cup in Romania when they claimed yet another major scalp, this time Scotland.
The impressive 23-20 victory by the gutsy Namibians means they are now just one win away from recording a first ever Nations Cup title.
According to the IRB’s website, www.irb.com, the Welwitschias’ performances at the six-team international tournament have reinforced their coach Johan Diergaardt’s proclamation on his birthday last Friday that his side had the potential to win this tournament.
‘Three days on and a second victory, this time over Scotland A, has reminded everybody that the Namibians mean business,’ reads the website’s report following their victory over the Scots, the defending champions.
The report says it was the exciting Namibian back line that did most of the damage – outside half Jacky Bock, the De la Harpe brothers Sergio and Darryl, Piet van Zyl and Llewellyn Winkler all ably orchestrated by the talented scrumhalf Eugene Jantjies – based on a solid forward effort led by Saracens wing forward and skipper Jacques Burger.
‘This was a truly great game and I would like to thank the players for their commitment and hard work.
They’ve done a great job and showed courage and character and we would like also to thank God, because I think the luck was again on our side.
Though I would say we fairly deserve to win the game we also needed some luck too and it was ours,’ Diergaardt is quoted as saying on www.irb.com after the match.
Along with Italy A, Namibia recorded successive victories in this year’s IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest, while the pre-tournament favourites, Scotland A and the Argentina Jaguars, each suffered their second defeats.
The results mean that should both win their final match, the overall winner will be decided on points difference with Italy (+20) currently holding the advantage over Namibia (+7).
The Italians will face Romania on Sunday in the third and final round at the Arcul de Triumpf Stadium, while the Welwitschias face fellow Rugby World Cup qualifiers Georgia.
