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Rugby icon Stoop joins fight against Covid-19

2020-05-06  Carlos Kambaekwa

Rugby icon Stoop joins fight against Covid-19

Namibia’s most decorated rugby player Andre Stoop has joined the chorus of those rolling up their sleeves to curb the devastating corona epidemic that has brought the entire world to a virtual standstill.

Though no deaths or high numbers of positive tested citizens have been reported, health experts and government officials have been burning the midnight oil and are putting preventative measures in place to arrest the potential spread of the deadly disease.  
The retired Namibian fullback, arguably Namibia’s finest athlete of all time after Frank Fredericks, has teamed up with a local partner to supply affordable and easily accessible hand sanitisers that be erected at public units.

“It’s a friendly used locally manufactured product and our ultimate goal is to supply the product to health institutions across all corners of the country,” explained Stoop. He added: This project is likely to create jobs, ultimately ease the burden of the prevailing crises of unemployment.  
Stoop has represented his motherland in the South African Provincial Sport Pienaar and Currie Cup rugby competitions and is regarded by many as the chief architect in Namibia’s astonishing promotion to South Africa’s elite competition. 

Many tipped him to become a future Springbok, and given his well-deserved selection for the Barbarians, he could have easily become the second Namibian after the late Jan Ellis to wear the green and gold strip of the Springboks. 
However, two other Namibians in the shape of Sias Swart and Lofty Nel received Springbok colours but the pair never got to play a single match. 

The Tsumeb-born Stoop formed the nuclear of the giant-killing Gerhard Man’s inspired rugby fifteen that made waves in the Currie Cup A-section and will be best remembered for the heroic victory Western Province at Newlands Stadium in wet weather conditions in 1988.
The much-adored speedy Namibian fullback went onto enjoy a stellar career abroad with rugby league outfit Saracens after Namibia’s Independence and never got the chance to represent his native land internationally.        


Image: Legend... Andre Stoop  
 


2020-05-06  Carlos Kambaekwa

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