U13 Craven Week team will meet Zim in opener

Head coach Brian Titus has expressed an optimistic in his expectations of Namibia’s prospects after last Saturday’s announcement of the NSSU under-13 team that will compete at the Craven Week from 17 to 21 June in Pretoria.

“I would say our team appears stronger than last year, mainly due to the fact that a core group has progressed from two tournaments they played as an U12 group last year, namely at Klerksdorp and Riversdale. This exposure has contributed to the squad now looking significantly more well-rounded in their overall play.

“At the Craven Week, our opening match will be the traditional unofficial ‘test’ match against neighbouring country Zimbabwe. The performances on match day one will be used to determine the strength of the next opponent to be assigned.

“We are currently working to secure sponsorships to ensure that the team will be able to fly out to Gauteng, rather than travel by bus.”

Titus says the team captain will be confirmed during the squad’ s final training camp before their departure.

NSSU team to Under-13 Craven Week:

15 Keithen Humphries (Hoeksteen Primary, Rosh Pinah)

14 Rijk Duvenhage (Walvis Bay Private School)

13 Ryan Steyn (Whk Gymnasium)

12 Rylan Simpson (Pionierspark)

11 Adrian van der Westhuizen (Orban)

10 Jacques Bruwer (Whk Gymnasium)

9 Cayden Klazen (Whk Gymnasium)

8 Potjoje Mukuahima (Pionierspark)

7 Eric Quest (Pionierspark)

6 Ruben Kotze (Whk Gymnasium)

5 Vikapita Mbaisa (Pionierspark)

4 Ngarukue Kamunguma (Pionierspark)

3 Tiaan du Plessis (Whk Affies)

2 Jean Botha (Pionierspark)

1 Jayden Beukes (Ruimte)

Replacements: 16 Michael Muller (Pro-Ed Academy), 17 Conroy van Wyk (Whk Gymnasium), 18 Gavin Isaaks (St. Joseph’s Primary, Rehoboth), 19 Jaydin Coakley (St. Joseph’s), 20 Wehan Groenewald (Walvis Bay Private School), 21 Kian Janse van Rensburg (Whk Affies), 22 Denilo Potgieter (Pionierspark), 23 Cayden Visser (Elnatan).

Head coach Brian Titus (St. Joseph’s) will be assisted by Mauritz Thirion (Whk Gymnasium), while Ernest Groenewald (Orban) is the team manager.



Under-12s selected for tour

Following the trimming of the preliminary U13 squad and the team announcement last week, it was also confirmed that Namibia will once again be sending the following U12 development team to partake in a provincial age group tournament at Klerksdorp from 12 to 15 June.

The U12 head coach is Graschlin Hanstein (Whk Gymnasium) assisted by Jandre van Wyk (Roots Gymnasium), with Frank Farmer (Rosh Pinah Academy) as team manager.

15 Gilmer Horn (Whk Affies), 14 John-Logan Cloete (Pionierspark), 13 Chad van Wyk (Pionierspark),12 Omar van Wyk (Roots Gymnasium), 11 Zander Buys (Whk Affies), 10 Liam van Rooyen (Whk Gymnasium), 9 Francois Siepker (Whk Affies), 8 Ethan Strydom (Whk Gymnasium), 7 Dandré du Plessis (Roots Gymnasium), 6 Zehan Pienaar (Whk Gymnasium), 5 Michael McKenzie (Whk Affies), 4 Vitjitua Uapingene (Pionierspark), 3 Benjamin Coetzee (Whk Gymnasium), 2 Joshua Isaacs (Suiderhof), 1 Natangwe Shapumba (Whk Gymnasium).

Bench: 16 BW Oelofsen (Moria, Outjo), 17 Charles Bodenstein (Whk Affies), 18 Lorenzo Hartzenberg (Ambrosius Amutenya Primary), 19 Izak Burger (Pionierspark), 20 McHenry Pieters (Origo Primary, Rehoboth), 21 Emil Gresse (Whk Gymnasium), 22 Frederico Gaoab (Suiderhof), 23 Marcel de Klerk (St. Joseph’s).