Namibia’s national rugby team, the Welwitschias, delivered a resounding performance in the Asia-Africa repechage play-off, crushing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 86–29 on Saturday. 

The match, played at Mandela National Stadium, in Kampala Uganda, marked a decisive step in Namibia’s journey towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup, earning them a place in the final qualification tournament to be held in Dubai from 8 to 18 November.

From the opening whistle, Namibia stamped their authority on the match, showcasing power, pace, and precision. Fly-half André van der Berg led the scoring, contributing 21 points through nine successful conversions and a penalty.

Namibia crossed the try line an impressive 13 times, with two tries each coming from Richard Hardwick, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Aston Mukwiilongo and Armand Combrinck; while Jurgen Meyer, Oliver Kurz, Danie van der Merwe, Adriaan Ludick, and Max Katjijeko contributed a try each.

The Namibian backline ran rampant once they found their rhythm, carving through the UAE defence with flair and intensity.

Speaking after the match, Namibia’s director of rugby Jacques Burger emphasised the significance of the victory.

“Getting this result was crucial. It gives us a second chance at qualifying for the Rugby World Cup. The possibility of having a third African team at the tournament is a great responsibility, and we’re going to use the next few months to prepare thoroughly for the final qualification event in Dubai.”

Outside centre Alcino Izaacks acknowledged that the match wasn’t without its challenges.

“UAE came out really strong, and the conditions were tough. But once we started moving the ball, we became hard to stop,” he said. “We’re dangerous when we keep possession and make teams chase us. Our defence was also solid today.”

Captain Prince !Gaoseb praised his teammates for their grit after their earlier loss to Zimbabwe in the Africa Cup final.

“We needed this. We fell short against Zimbabwe, so to bounce back like this was massive,” he said. “UAE brought a strong squad, some brilliant players, but we stuck to our game plan, and I am proud of how the boys performed. We got the result we came for.”

With the win, Namibia advances to the final qualification tournament in November, where they’ll face other hopefuls in one last push for a spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. -lmupetami@nepc.com.na