Looking for game-changers

In preparing Namibia’s national squad to once again qualify and compete effectively at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, consistent inclusion in South Africa’s provincial competition structure will be a vital part.

During the four-year cycle since the 2019 World Cup in Japan, Namibia crucially lost the entire 2020 season due to Covid lockdowns. The Windhoek Draught Welwitschias also had only one season (2023) competing in the Mzansi Challenge – a series without which the Namibians would have been way worse prepared for their just-concluded World Cup in France.

Exposure against the top teams remains one of the most frequently discussed solutions put forward for improving the standards of the Tier 2 rugby countries.

In the case of Namibia, deliberately building a top-notch tight five, as well as more refined cohesion between its “local semi-professionals” and overseas professionals present great opportunities for a vastly improved performance at the World Cup – as often expressed by current team members in media interviews.

The results over the last few weeks have predictably not been flattering against New Zealand, France or Italy – but the knowledge that the team is capable of so much better will, and should, drive the build-up to Australia 2027 and keep the country ahead of its African challengers for qualifying.

Tjiuee Uanivi, who captained Namibia in their final pool match against Uruguay, repeated at the press conference that frequent match-ups against quality opposision is be a key element for Tier 2 countries’ development. Uanivi also proposed establishing a domestic professional franchise team contracting players for international competition – the same as the likes of the South American teams.

Upon request, the president of the Namibia Rugby Union, Petrie Theron, explained why the number of test matches Namibia plays annually are always surpassed by the top-level nations.

Professional clubs across the world are obliged to release their international players during the two Regulation 9 periods – three weekends in June or July and three weekends in November. This gives a country the opportunity to play six tests per year, theoretically with a near full-strength team.

Playing internationals outside these periods comes with the risk of playing with a much weakened team. Clubs are understandably reluctant to release their international players, as they pay their salaries and take on the risk of injuries.

To play test matches outside the window periods, Theron explained, the national union can only use those players if you can negotiate with the clubs for their release. This has cost implications for the players, because the clubs do not pay them for this period – if they are released at all. Also, additional player insurance needs to be be taken out.

Another factor that comes with playing tests without the full-strength team is that a defeat would cost you ranking points. Each extra test also goes along with large expenses, since World Rugby does not contribute to additional games outside window periods.

Theron says: “At the end of the day, the best solution is to be able to contract all your players locally and play in a good competition such as the Currie Cup, or one of the overseas competitions. For that we must have a franchise team. That’s where the biggest problem lies – financing. To operate such a program, with the supporting programs to develop new players, costs anything between N$50-100 million per year if one works conservatively. The Tier 1 countries all have budgets in excess of N$250 million.”