Windhoek
Welwitschias’ head coach Danie Vermeulen has made six changes and one positional switch to the team that narrowly saw off Tunisia 22-14 in Nabeul, for tomorrow’s Nations Cup opener against Argentine Jaguars in Bucharest.
In the front row, Saint Naiziere prop Casper Viviers gets a rare start with hooker DG Wiese having been promoted from the substitutes’ bench to the starting line-up.
Both loose-forwards Thinus du Plessis and Janco Venter will be pairing skipper PJ van Lill in the back row. The latter last played for Namibia in 2013 against Kenya on home soil. The pair take the places of Roderique Victor who is out of the 23-man match day squad and Levene Damens who drops to the bench.
Scrumhalf Eugene Jantjies is to earn his 39th cap, when he makes his first appearance in the Namibian jumper since November 2013 while David Philander moves from the right to the left wing berth.
Russel van Wyk who joined his team-mates in Bucharest gets the nod at right wing ahead of Conrad Marais.
New arrivals prop forwards Johnnie Redelinghuys and AJ de Klerk are to add the much-needed bulk and power to the scrum from the bench.
Jaco Engels will be a notable absentee as the big prop is being rested.