Union rugby has been played in Namibia since 1916, to be exact, when it was first introduced by soldiers from South Africa, who had invaded the then German-run colony. Before Namibia gained independence in 1990, the team, as South West Africa, played in South Africa’s domestic club competition, the Currie Cup. Under South African rule, the team achieved their best result in the 1989 season, when they finished third.
Until 1990, Namibian players were eligible to represent South Africa, with some of those players including the late Namibian-born Springbok Jan Ellis and, more recently, Percy Montgomery. Independence, however, came too late for Namibia to qualify for the 1991 World Cup, jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France.
The Namibia senior rugby team is nicknamed the Welwitschias. They are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board (IRB’s) tier system, governed by the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU). The NRU was formed in March 1990 and joined the International Rugby Board (IRB) that same month.