Windhoek
FNB Welwitschias mentor Henry Kemp has described Namibia’s participation in the Vodacom Cup as a journey very worthwhile, adding that it was a valuable initiative in terms of exposing local players to high level rugby.
Namibia’s rugby XV the Welwitschias bowed out of the Vodacom Cup competition following Friday’s 25-33 defeat to the visiting South African Leopards at the Hage Geingob Stadium.
Of their seven Vodacom Cup fixtures the Welwitschias only managed to win one match, which was against the Limpopo Blue Bulls, but Kemp insists that despite a string of defeats there is a whole lot of positives the team can draw from the stumbling blocks.
“Going forward we just have to make sure we compete at this level more frequently. It’s really great for our players especially the local guys who do not get opportunities to play at this level. Despite the defeats, one can really see how the young players have grown over the past few weeks and gained valuable experience and confidence,” said Kemp.
“The future looks bright for most of the youngsters that featured this year, that’s why we have to make sure we participate again next year so that the players remain consistent and adapt well to this kind of rugby. But the future obviously looks good.”
Friday’s 25-33 defeat against the Leopards was Namibia’s 6th loss, following five other defeats – against Golden Lions (3-33), Pumas (7-61), Griffons (28-32), Vodacom Blue Bulls (0-44), Falcons (7-45) while they only managed the one win against the Limpopo Blue Bulls.
The Vodacom Cup is an annual rugby union competition in South Africa that is contested between February and May. The competition is the third most prestigious competition in rugby union in South Africa, behind the Super Rugby and Currie Cup competitions.
It runs at roughly the same time as the Super Rugby series and serves as an important developmental platform open to the 14 South African rugby unions, but also features invitational teams from outside the country such as the Welwitschias from Namibia, Pampas XV from Argentina and Simba XV from Kenya.