After a bruising 73-6 defeat to Italy on Friday at the Hage Geingob Stadium, Namibia’s senior rugby team is now setting its sights on the upcoming Rugby Africa Cup, which will take place in Uganda from 8 to 19 July.
Fullback Jacopo Trullo was a standout performer, scoring three tries. The Italians surged ahead just three minutes into the match when they were awarded a penalty try, leading to Namibian hooker Louis van der Westhuizen being sent to the sin bin.
Namibian fly-half Tiaan Swanepoel offered brief hope, kicking two penalties to reduce the deficit to a single point after 15 minutes. However, those were the only points Namibia could register as the European visitors tightened their grip on the game.
Italy’s dominance grew, with Trullo crossing the line twice more in the first half. He was joined on the scoresheet by inside centre Leonardo Marin, winger Simone Gesi, and outside centre Tommaso Menoncello. Fly-half Giacomo Da Re converted four of the five tries, giving Italy a commanding 40-6 lead at halftime.
The second half brought no relief for Namibia, as Italy piled on more points. Tries from scrum-half Alessandro Fusco, replacements Mirco Spagnolo and Stephen Varney, as well as a third try from Trullo extended the margin. Another penalty try and three additional conversions – two from Da Re and one from Varney – sealed Italy’s emphatic victory.
Reflecting on the match, Namibian captain Prince Gaoseb admitted it was a tough outing. “We fell short on our game, especially in the set pieces. There are things to fix, and we’ll work on the positives as we prepare for the Africa Cup.”
Namibia now heads into the Rugby Africa Cup, a crucial tournament that doubles up as the continent’s qualifier for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Eight teams: Namibia, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Morocco will fight it out at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
The stakes are high: the winner qualifies directly for the World Cup, while the runner-up advances to the global repechage tournament for a final shot at qualification.
Hosts Uganda have gone all out to upgrade facilities and build fan momentum for this year’s tournament. The Rugby Cranes are currently on a high-performance preparation tour in Southern Africa, hoping to keep the trophy on home soil. Kenya, perennial challengers, are also preparing in Southern Africa, hungry to overcome their near-miss history, particularly against Namibia.
Zimbabwe, the reigning champions, have been preparing since lifting the title last year in Kampala. They closed out 2024 with a strong showing on tour in the Middle East and Asia, defeating both the United Arab Emirates and South Korea. Algeria, last year’s runners-up, remain a formidable contender with a reputation for upsetting more established sides.
Namibia enters the tournament with the weight of history on their shoulders. Since 1999, they’ve qualified for every Rugby World Cup outside South Africa, making them the standard-bearers in African rugby. Côte d’Ivoire, the last African team other than Namibia and South Africa to make it to the global stage (1995), are hoping to recapture that form this year. Senegal and Morocco, who recently earned promotion, add fresh energy and ambition to this year’s line-up.
-Additional information provided by Rugby Africa