Namibia set for Argentina clash
Namibia will play their first match of the 2019 World Rugby Nations Cup against an Argentina XV today at the Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo, Uruguay.
This year's competition features test sides Namibia and Russia, who along with Uruguay's Los Teros and Argentina, will be competing at the Japan Rugby World Cup that kicks off on 20 September.
Namibia are currently ranked 23th, while their Argentinian opponents have no ranking as they are not their country's national side. The Argentina national side is ranked 10th in the world.
Argentina enters the competition with high confidence after convincingly claiming the Americas Rugby Championship title with five straight victories over the United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and Canada. They will be tough opponents for the Namibians.
Russia is ranked 20th, three places better than Namibia, while Uruguay is ranked 16th, so the Namibians will be hoping to target Russia for a win.
The tournament has grown over the years and continues to provide opportunities for young players to be exposed to international experience.
The participating nations will not face each other in the pool phase of the Rugby World Cup, as Russia have been drawn in Pool A together with Ireland, Scotland, Japan and Samoa, while Namibia are in Pool B alongside New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Canada.
In Pool C, Argentina will take on England, France, the US and Tonga, while Uruguay are in Pool D with Australia, Wales, Georgia and Fiji.
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The World Rugby Nations Cup provides a vital opportunity for the competition teams to advance their Rugby World Cup preparations and test their squad selections just three months ahead of the showpiece tournament in Japan.
“World Rugby invests significantly in high-performance programmes for emerging nations, such as Uruguay, Namibia and Russia, and high-quality competitions such as the Nations Cup, with the objective of achieving the most competitive Rugby World Cup ever at Japan 2019.
“We thank Uruguay for hosting this important event for a third successive year; they have proved to be proud and passionate hosts, and we look forward to another excellent competition with thrilling rugby in front of strong crowds, as excitement builds towards the first Rugby World Cup in Asia.”
This is the third time defending champions Uruguay are hosting the tournament.
They go into the tournament having won the last two editions.
Romania were the long-time hosts of the Nations Cup.
The first edition took place in Portugal in 2006, before Romania hosted the event from 2007 to 2016. In 2017 and 2018 it was played in Montevideo.
Today's match will kick off at 20:30 local time. Namibia will play Uruguay on 9 June and Russia on 15 June.
The Namibian squad is as follows: Johann Tromp, JC Greyling, Johan Deysel, (captain), Darryl de la Harpe, Oderich Mouton, Cliven Loubser, Eugene Jantjies, Janco Venter, Max Katjijeko, Thomasau Forbes, Tjuee Uanivi (vice-captain), Johan Retief, Aranos Coetzee, Orbit Norje, Des Sethie, Daniel van Vuuren, Andre Rademeyer, AJ de Klerk, Wian Conradie, Prince !Gaoseb, TC Kisting, Justin Newman, PW Steenkamp, Jason Benadie, Adriaan Booysen, Mahepisa Tjerko, Damian Stevens and Durmarcho Hartung.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
This year's competition features test sides Namibia and Russia, who along with Uruguay's Los Teros and Argentina, will be competing at the Japan Rugby World Cup that kicks off on 20 September.
Namibia are currently ranked 23th, while their Argentinian opponents have no ranking as they are not their country's national side. The Argentina national side is ranked 10th in the world.
Argentina enters the competition with high confidence after convincingly claiming the Americas Rugby Championship title with five straight victories over the United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and Canada. They will be tough opponents for the Namibians.
Russia is ranked 20th, three places better than Namibia, while Uruguay is ranked 16th, so the Namibians will be hoping to target Russia for a win.
The tournament has grown over the years and continues to provide opportunities for young players to be exposed to international experience.
The participating nations will not face each other in the pool phase of the Rugby World Cup, as Russia have been drawn in Pool A together with Ireland, Scotland, Japan and Samoa, while Namibia are in Pool B alongside New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Canada.
In Pool C, Argentina will take on England, France, the US and Tonga, while Uruguay are in Pool D with Australia, Wales, Georgia and Fiji.
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The World Rugby Nations Cup provides a vital opportunity for the competition teams to advance their Rugby World Cup preparations and test their squad selections just three months ahead of the showpiece tournament in Japan.
“World Rugby invests significantly in high-performance programmes for emerging nations, such as Uruguay, Namibia and Russia, and high-quality competitions such as the Nations Cup, with the objective of achieving the most competitive Rugby World Cup ever at Japan 2019.
“We thank Uruguay for hosting this important event for a third successive year; they have proved to be proud and passionate hosts, and we look forward to another excellent competition with thrilling rugby in front of strong crowds, as excitement builds towards the first Rugby World Cup in Asia.”
This is the third time defending champions Uruguay are hosting the tournament.
They go into the tournament having won the last two editions.
Romania were the long-time hosts of the Nations Cup.
The first edition took place in Portugal in 2006, before Romania hosted the event from 2007 to 2016. In 2017 and 2018 it was played in Montevideo.
Today's match will kick off at 20:30 local time. Namibia will play Uruguay on 9 June and Russia on 15 June.
The Namibian squad is as follows: Johann Tromp, JC Greyling, Johan Deysel, (captain), Darryl de la Harpe, Oderich Mouton, Cliven Loubser, Eugene Jantjies, Janco Venter, Max Katjijeko, Thomasau Forbes, Tjuee Uanivi (vice-captain), Johan Retief, Aranos Coetzee, Orbit Norje, Des Sethie, Daniel van Vuuren, Andre Rademeyer, AJ de Klerk, Wian Conradie, Prince !Gaoseb, TC Kisting, Justin Newman, PW Steenkamp, Jason Benadie, Adriaan Booysen, Mahepisa Tjerko, Damian Stevens and Durmarcho Hartung.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
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