Otniel Hembapu
WINDHOEK – The much-anticipated 8th edition of the World University Rugby Sevens Championships will today get underway at the coastal town of Swakopmund, officially marking the tournament’s first edition to be held in Africa.
The Tertiary Institutes Sports Association of Namibia (TISAN), on behalf of International University Sports Federation (FISU), will be hosting the games at Swakopmund starting today until Saturday, July 14.
The championships, which will be the first since Sevens rugby’s addition at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is expected to attract more than 300 athletes, with top rugby stars from around the world showcasing their rugby Sevens capabilities across 16 male and 12 female teams.
In an earlier interview with Nampa, Werner Jeffery, TISAN’s organising committee chairperson, said they struggled to find women players, hence a decision was made to request FISU to allow them to use the national team for this tournament. According to Jeffery, Namibia wants to challenge for the main prize despite the fact that most players have now moved on to the national team, while others have secured contracts overseas. At the last edition held in Wales in 2016, Namibia defeated Italy in the Plate final to finish with a fifth position ranking.