Maqonda Ndlovu
Namibia lost their opening match of the 2023 Nations Cup 27-34 in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Saturday evening.
The Welwitschias were the first to register points on the board when Tiaan Swanepoel converted a penalty to make it 3-0.
The South Americans responded by scoring a converted try to take a 3-7 lead in the 12th minute before extending the lead to 3-14 six minutes later with another converted try.
Before the Namibians could regroup, Argentina extended their lead to 3-19 via an unconverted try in the 21st minutes.
Namibia scored their first try of the match in the 36th minute through Torsten van Jaarsveld, but it was not converted.
Argentina had the final say in the first half, scoring and converting a try to take an 8-26 lead into the break.
At resumption, Namibia began a spirited comeback as Van Jaarsveld scored a converted try to reduce the deficit to 15-26 before Wian Conradie made it 20-26 in the 55th minute.
Namibia regained the lead when Van Jaarsveld scored a converted try in the 60th minute to make it 27-26 before Argentina scored a penalty six minutes later and a try in the 73rd minute to win the match 27-34.
Briefing the media after the match in Uruguay, coach Allister Coetzee said Argentina is a top side with over 50 players, who are all playing for positions to go to the world cup.
“It was a great test for us; we had a chance to beat them today. They were lucky to get a knock-on try awarded, and we missed a couple of kicks,” Coetzee said.
He said he was impressed with how his team played, seeing that it was the first time they played together as a team.
Coetzee added that their discipline improved in the second half, and he was happy to give players an opportunity to play.
“The team that started was not as strong as the team that finished, so these players need some time to make sure we develop our depth players. This Argentinian side is very experienced. I am pleased with the attitude of the players; they stuck in there, and we were in the fight till the end,” he said.
He was critical of the team’s start, saying conceding three tries in eight minutes made it difficult for the team, but it took a lot of positives in the team’s performance.
Namibia plays Uruguay this coming Saturday.