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Home / Namibia out to tame winless Zimbabwe in Rugby Gold Cup… a step away from World Cup dream
Namibia out to tame winless Zimbabwe in Rugby Gold Cup… a step away from World Cup dream
2018-08-03Staff Report 2 Otniel Hembapu WINDHOEK – Namibia’s senior rugby fifteen team will this weekend be out to fortify their dominance in the ongoing Rugby Africa Gold Cup tournament, when they confront a winless Zimbabwe away in Bulawayo tomorrow at the Hartsfield Stadium. Reigning champions Namibia, who currently top the Africa Rugby Gold Cup log table with 15 points and remain unbeaten, need to secure a win against the Zimbabwean Sables as they will put them in touching distance of again being crowned African champions, for the 8th time, and subsequently see them secure a place at next year’s World Cup in Japan. With Namibia’s final fixture set to be against second-on-the-log Kenya on August 18 in Windhoek, the Namibians seem well on track for the trophy and a place in the World Cup group that includes South Africa, New Zealand and Italy. The team that finished second in the Gold Cup will have to earn their World Cup place the hard way, as they will have to play off against Canada, Germany and Hong Kong in order to book their spot in Pool B alongside the Gold Cup winners. The statistics ahead of tomorrow’s clash don’t look pretty for Zimbabwe as the ruthless Namibians have scored 213 points and conceded just 13, which gives them a try-scoring rate of 36 scored against one conceded in 240 minutes of rugby. On the other hand, Zimbabwe have scored 73 points but conceded 86 and have been outscored in tries by 11 to 12. Namibian coach Phil Davies would have done his homework and his speedy back-line players such as fullback Chrysander Botha, winger Lesley Klim and centre and skipper Johan Deysel, will be licking their lips in anticipation of stretching the Zimbabwean defence to the limit tomorrow. In the other fixture also tomorrow, Tunisia will be looking to build on their victory over the Zimbabweans, when they take on a much-improved Ugandan side in Kampala. The Namibian Squad for Zimbabwe is as follows: Botha Chrysander, Coetzee Johannes, Conradie Wian, De Klerk AJ, De la Harpe Darryl, Deysel Johan (Captain), Greyling JC, Jantjies Eugene, Katjijeko Max, Kitshoff Rohan, Klim Lesley, Loubser Cliven, Newman Justin, Sethie Desiderius, Steenkamp PW, Stevens Damian, Theron Nelius, Tjeriko Mahepisa, Tromp Johan, Uanivi Tjiuee, Van der Westhuizen Louis, Van Jaarsveld Torsten, Van Lill Pieter-Jan, Venter Janco and Viviers Casper. – Adapted from the African News Agency (ANA) 2018-08-03Staff Report 2
