Women’s team prepares for Zim, Boks tests
Positive growth in local game
The national coaching teams for both men and women got the opportunity to gauge the talent at their disposal over the weekend.
The Namibia Rugby Union is expected to name a men’s and women’s squad early this week, following trial matches held at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday.
National women’s coach Christel 'CJ' Kotzé has the daunting task of preparing the 15-a-side squad to take on Zimbabwe and South Africa - on 19 June and 23 June respectively - in a Rugby Africa tournament to be held at the Villagers Rugby Club in Cape Town.
The Namibian women made a nervous comeback to international competition last November, losing 75-5 against Zambia in Windhoek. However, Saturday’s brief trial matches appear to show an improved level of composure and overall skills.
To start off the trials, two teams selected out of the local 10-a-side league took each other on in the first match, from where the selected players were weighed up against the national squad from last November.
Development
Kotzé remained upbeat about the growth in the local game.
“You could see the development of our talent since the previous trials in November. I have to give credit to the good work done by the club coaches countrywide."
Despite South Africa being by far the strongest women’s rugby nation on the continent and preparing to compete at the world championship, it is undoubtedly good recognition and a challenge for Namibia to be included in Rugby Africa’s Women’s Cup Pool A.
Kotzé added: “To finally be included in the African circuit is exactly where we want to be – to be actively playing and growing our game and narrowing the gap between us and the nations ahead of us”.
The 2022 continental championship will be contested as follows:
Pool A: South Africa (hosts), Zimbabwe, Namibia.
Pool B: Uganda (hosts), Kenya, Zambia.
Pool C: Tunisia (hosts), Madagascar, Senegal.
Pool D: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast. (Hosts: Cameroon or Burkina Faso.)
Goodwill Cup
Meanwhile, in the men’s game, one trial match of 80 minutes was played in which the best of the locally-based club players (with the exception of a few injuries) took each other on, closely watched by three of the national team’s assistant coaches, Chrysander Botha, Pine Pienaar and Barend Pieterse.
The supposed favourites in the Blue Team won 50-31 against the Red Team, after leading 31-12 at half-time.
The Namibian Welwitschias XV are set to play against the Blue Bulls XV in the Officeconomix Goodwill Cup on 4 June in Windhoek, and will largely be compiled from the local players involved in Saturday’s trial match.
Business icon Paul Oosthuizen of Officeconomix has been the main driver in the organising and marketing campaign for the 4 June match, which will provide the Namibian squad with valuable game time ahead of their tour to France in July to contest the Rugby Africa 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
National women’s coach Christel 'CJ' Kotzé has the daunting task of preparing the 15-a-side squad to take on Zimbabwe and South Africa - on 19 June and 23 June respectively - in a Rugby Africa tournament to be held at the Villagers Rugby Club in Cape Town.
The Namibian women made a nervous comeback to international competition last November, losing 75-5 against Zambia in Windhoek. However, Saturday’s brief trial matches appear to show an improved level of composure and overall skills.
To start off the trials, two teams selected out of the local 10-a-side league took each other on in the first match, from where the selected players were weighed up against the national squad from last November.
Development
Kotzé remained upbeat about the growth in the local game.
“You could see the development of our talent since the previous trials in November. I have to give credit to the good work done by the club coaches countrywide."
Despite South Africa being by far the strongest women’s rugby nation on the continent and preparing to compete at the world championship, it is undoubtedly good recognition and a challenge for Namibia to be included in Rugby Africa’s Women’s Cup Pool A.
Kotzé added: “To finally be included in the African circuit is exactly where we want to be – to be actively playing and growing our game and narrowing the gap between us and the nations ahead of us”.
The 2022 continental championship will be contested as follows:
Pool A: South Africa (hosts), Zimbabwe, Namibia.
Pool B: Uganda (hosts), Kenya, Zambia.
Pool C: Tunisia (hosts), Madagascar, Senegal.
Pool D: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast. (Hosts: Cameroon or Burkina Faso.)
Goodwill Cup
Meanwhile, in the men’s game, one trial match of 80 minutes was played in which the best of the locally-based club players (with the exception of a few injuries) took each other on, closely watched by three of the national team’s assistant coaches, Chrysander Botha, Pine Pienaar and Barend Pieterse.
The supposed favourites in the Blue Team won 50-31 against the Red Team, after leading 31-12 at half-time.
The Namibian Welwitschias XV are set to play against the Blue Bulls XV in the Officeconomix Goodwill Cup on 4 June in Windhoek, and will largely be compiled from the local players involved in Saturday’s trial match.
Business icon Paul Oosthuizen of Officeconomix has been the main driver in the organising and marketing campaign for the 4 June match, which will provide the Namibian squad with valuable game time ahead of their tour to France in July to contest the Rugby Africa 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
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