Welwitschias upbeat ahead of Griquas encounter

NAMIBIA’S Welwitschias host the Vodacom Cup defending champions, Griquas of South Africa, at the Hage Geingob Stadium on Saturday.

Having lost their opening two fixtures to the Griffons and Leopards by big margins, the Welwitschias will do well to contain the Griquas who picked up their first win in this year’s Vodacom Cup when they beat the Griffons 59-31 last week Friday. The Griquas, who lost 22-17 to the Blue Bulls in the opening round, racked up nine tries against the Griffons, five of them in the first half to build up an unassailable 30-point lead at the break as they looked to put their campaign back on track.However Welwitschias coach Johan Diergaardt remains unfazed by his seemingly superior opposition. Diergaardt says his boys are showing good progress in the competition although it may not reflect on the score line after matches. ‘It definitely does not show on the scorecard but at this stage the team is showing a lot of improvement. We will try to win the game but at the same time we are realistic about our goals and objectives. The Griquas are the current Vodacom Cup champions so it is obviously a great challenge. I promise that we will go full-out,’ said Diergaardt.Diergaardt went on to say that Namibia has a lot of rugby potential but that the gulf between his players and his opponents is great. ‘The potential is there. We have it but we need to be realistic. In order for us to get to the level of our opponents, we need to think and play faster. It is a big advantage that we are playing at this level on a regular base because it means that we can improve our game.’According to Diergaardt, two players have impressed and shown the most potential thus far although the team effort has also improved significantly since returning to the Vodacom Cup.He told The Namibian Sport that they have been so impressive that he won’t be surprised if a professional outfit were to snap them up. ‘I think Renaud van Neel and Chrisander Botha have been outstanding so far. They have played very well and stood out for me, but the whole team has shown that they can play as well.’It will be an advantage for us in the long run if they sign for a professional club. This is one of the main reasons for participating in this competition. It is a chance for our players to get noticed and move into the professional setup. At the moment they have a contract to play with us in the Vodacom cup.’There is no shortage of support from loyal rugby enthusiasts either as Diergaardt said that despite the heavy losses, the response from the public has been positive. ‘I believe that the supporters will come and support their team. There is a positive vibe from the people. This shows that they understand that patience is needed for us to realise our objective. There is growth but for now we must be realistic about this.’sheefeni@namibian.com.na