WINDHOEK – Following last weekend’s 23-40 defeat against visiting South African club Xerox Golden Lions XV at home, Namibia’s second-string rugby side, the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias, will tomorrow be away at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria where they face the Vodacom Blue Bulls for their second SuperSport Rugby Challenge encounter.
The Namibian second stringers will be expected to bring their best foot forward as they seek to bounce back from their disappointing opening defeat of the 2019 SuperSport Rugby Challenge.
The Windhoek Draught Welwitschias squad participating in this competition comprises an assortment of experienced and upcoming youngsters, a blending process that will go a long way in helping shape Namibia’s preparations for the World Cup in Japan. In a change of competition format from previous years, the SuperSport Rugby Challenge will this year be split into two sections – North and South – with the top two teams from each section progressing to the semifinals.
To add more flavour to the already diverse venues that will see action, matches will be played at Namibia’s home base in Windhoek, while the Zimbabweans, playing in the competition for the first time and featuring in the South section, will use False Bay Rugby Club in Cape Town as their base for the duration of the tournament.
Defending champions, the Pumas, will spearhead the North Section alongside the Down Touch Griffons, Leopards, Blue Bulls, Namibia, Golden Lions XV, Griquas and Valke, while the South Section will consist of the Free State XV, Sharks XV, SWD Eagles, Western Province, Boland, EP Elephants, Border and Zimbabwe.
The SuperSport Rugby Challenge is the secondary domestic rugby union competition in South Africa, organised by the South African Rugby Union and features all fourteen South African provincial unions plus Namibian side the Welwitschias and Zimbabwe. The inaugural season of the competition was in 2017 set up as the long-term successor of the Vodacom Cup competition.
The Namibian squad to face Blue Bulls: Front Rowers: Desiderius Sethie, Andre Rademeyer, Gerhard Thirion, Niel Van Vuuren, Calla Freygang, AJ De Klerk. Back Five: Ruan Ludick, Christo van der Merwe, Prince Goaseb, Thomasau Forbes, Max Katjijeko, Leneve Damens (vc), Adriaan Booysen, Jandre Lambrecht. Half Backs: JC Winkler, Eugene Jantjies, PW Steenkamp, Cliven Loubser. Outside Backs: Chris Arries, Darryl de la Harpe (c), Jandre du Toit, PJ Walters, Oderich Mouton and Macho Prinsloo.