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Namibia gears up to face Italy in high-stakes test match

Namibia gears up to face Italy in high-stakes test match

The Namibian national rugby team is set to face Italy in a highly anticipated international test match at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek at 15h00 today. 

The match offers Namibia a rare opportunity to test themselves against a tier-one rugby nation, and players and coaches are all eager to make a statement.

Despite a tough outing against South Africa’s Pumas recently, the Namibian squad remains optimistic. “We have to be realistic. The Pumas have been training together for four to five months, while our squad only assembled on 2 June. We’re also fielding a number of amateur players, so context is important. Last year, we lost to the Pumas by 90 points, and this year, we showed noticeable improvement,” director of rugby Jacques Burger said.

While acknowledging that results matter, the focus for Namibia is firmly on building for the future and preparing for the upcoming Africa Cup in July – a tournament crucial for World Cup qualification.

Facing Italy is seen not only as a valuable test but also as a chance to promote rugby in Namibia. “Having a tier-one nation here is special. It’s an opportunity to grow the game, to inspire the younger players, and to show that Namibian rugby can compete on the international stage,” Burger said.

The current squad includes 23 core players, with a few others on standby. A final squad of 28 will be selected for the Africa Cup. The focus now is on fine-tuning combinations and assessing players who will be key in the qualification campaign. “This isn’t the time to experiment with too many new players. We need to build chemistry and prepare the best group for qualification,” he said.

Italian flanker Sebastian Negri added to the excitement, saying they are looking forward to the clash and encouraged fans to fill the stadium in support of both teams. 

-lmupetami@nepc.com.na