Namibia meet Zimbabwe in Windhoek
Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:07
Namibia play Zimbabwe in an Africa Cup match which doubles as a qualifier for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
It is one of four such matches organised by the Confederation of African Rugby.
Namibia, Zimbabwe and Senegal form a pool. Namibia have beaten Senegal who have not yet played Zimbabwe because they refused to travel to Harare for safety reasons. Namibia's 13-10 victory was in Dakar.
Zimbabwe's Sables have had the boost of a kit sponsorship worth Canadian$66 000, which almost the same amount in US dollars.
The Sables' coach has spent a week with the Sharks in Durban and is optimistic about his team's chances. The Biltongboere's coach is John Williams, the former Blue Bulls player who was the Valke coach in South Africa for a while. Williams has the advantage of two matches behind him - against Senegal and last week against the SA Students team which just beat Namibia 39-37 in Windhoek.
Apart from Arthur Mate who plays in the UK, all the Sables play in Zimbabwe. Much is expected of their pack with the possibility of fireworks from the back three of Gerald Sibanda, Alex Ndangana and Cleopas Makatose.
The Namibians have far more experience as the side has now been to three World Cups, an honour which once belonged to Zimbabwe in its rugby heyday. Of the Namibian forwards, Johnny Redelinghuys, Hugo Horn, Jané du Toit, Wacca Kazombiaze, Nico Esterhuyse, Jacques Burger, Tinus Du Plessis and Jacques Nieuwenhuis were all at the 2007 World Cup, and that's the whole starting pack. By contrast none of the bench forwards was at the World Cup. and of the backs only Du Preez Grobler and Eugene Jantjies were art the World Cup, but Namibia regards its new, young backs as exciting, especially speedy fullback Chryzander Botha who used to be a wing.
Several of the Namibians have South African provincial experience and left wing Llewellyn Winkler plays for the Maties. Eighthman Jacques Burger will be flown in on Saturday. On Friday night he is on the bench for the Blue Bulls in Brakpan.
Teams:
Namibia: 15 Chryzander Botha, 14 Luwayne Kotzee, 13 Du Preez Grobler, 12 Tinus Venter, 11 Llewellyn Winkler, 10 Jaco van Zyl, 9 Eugene Jantjies, 8 Jacques Burger, 7 Tinus du Plessis, 6 Jacques Nieuwenhuis (captain), 5 Nico Esterhuyse, 4 Wacca Kazombiaze, 3 Jané du Toit, 2 Hugo Horn, 1 Johnny Redelinghuys
Replacements: 16 Shaun Esterhuize, 17 Carlo Campbell, 18 PJ van Lill, 19 Gawan Esterhuisen, 20 Jurie van Tonder, 21 Godwin Walters, 22 Bradley Langenhoven
Zimbabwe: 15. Cleopas Makatose (captain), 14. Gerald Sibanda, 13. Wes Mbanje, 12. Pete Stark, 11. Alex Ndangana, 10. Danny Robertson, 9. Donald Magenje, 8. Norman Mukondiwa, 7. Jacques Leitao, 6. Fortune Chipendu, 5. Arthur Mate, 4. Dustin Wilcox, 3. Rockface Guramani, 2. Raymond Dzvairo, 1. Pete Joubert
Replacements: 16. Devon Esbach, 17. Gardiner Nechironga, 18. Prayer Chitenderu, 19. Costa Dinha, 20. Thlou Kitumetsi, 21. Denford Mutangadura, 22. Manasa Sita
Date: 2 August 2008
Venue: Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Pro Legoete (South Africa)
Touch judges: Jerome America (South Africa), Roderick Barry (South Africa)
Match commissioner: Neville Heilbron (South Africa)
