Good luck, Namibia

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA



We have only four days to go before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in Japan. I wish the senior national rugby team all the best of luck.

Namibia will be represented by its national rugby team at the World Cup and they have a mammoth task ahead of them.

The country will be facing some of the world's biggest rugby nations, such as South Africa, New Zealand, Italy and Canada.

It is no secret that the Namibians will be the ultimate underdogs in their group given their past record and the depth in the teams they are drawn against.

It is our sixth World Cup and we are still seeking our first victory in the competition.

Winning a match will not be easy in a group filled with incredible talent but it will be one of the most amazing things in our history.

Yes, South Africa and New Zealand have a 90% chance of winning against Namibia and it will be almost impossible for Namibia to pull off what would be the biggest World Cup upset in history.

Namibia's first win could possibly come against the Canadians, who are definitely the weakest of all the opponents in the group.

And just maybe we can have a chance against the Italians if we play well.

My only concern at the moment is the players' level of preparedness, given that we have played only a few test matches compared to other teams that will be in the competition.

The form displayed by the national team going into this tournament is worrying for me because we had narrow victories and some shocking defeats along the way.

I will however not be deterred by that because I believe that we are a nation that has the bravest players.

It is time for the Namibian team to show that they are not just there to make up numbers but to compete at the highest level.

It is time for our players to put a smile on many Namibians' faces and we hope for some heroic displays in Japan.

I know I might sound a little defeatist, but it is true that we do not even have a chance of advancing from the group stages of the competition.

The fact that our record at the tournament is so poor makes us the team anybody would fancy their chances against.

But we must stand behind the team regardless of what the outcome will be.

The worst of it all is that you find Namibians supporting other nations even when their own team is in action.

Some Namibians will be cheering for South Africa and even for New Zealand against their own nation.

This is something I regard as unpatriotic because we have to support our country.

The players and the coaching staff need our moral support if they are to pull off a spectacular result at the competition.

It would be a morale booster for the players to see the Namibian flag waved high during the competition in Namibia.

Good luck, boys!

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