Patriotic send-off
It was a patriotic and iconic occasion at the NSC, as Namibia's under-20 rugby team received their national colours.
Namibia's under-20 rugby national team yesterday received blessings and well-wishes from the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) ahead of their trip to Kenya.
A team of 25 players and four delegates have set off for Kenya where they will compete in Rugby Africa's Barthés Trophy.
The team will seek to defend the trophy they won last year, with a victory ensuring them a spot at the U-20 World Rugby Trophy to be staged in Brazil in July.
NSC chief administrator Simataa Mwiya offered his support towards the team.
“Rugby in Namibia has undergone very difficult times but you did not waver, where others wavered.
“Today we have got our u-20 team and it is all because the administration remained firm.
“We are very happy the defending champions of this trophy are going to defend it as champions in Kenya,” Mwiya said during the awarding of national colours to the team.
Namibia are in Pool A alongside Senegal, Tunisia and host nation Kenya. The U-20 Barthés Trophy is the only Rugby Africa junior tournament on the continent.
The overall tournament will see 12 teams battling it out for better rankings and qualification for bigger tournaments outside Africa.
There are three ranking-based groups in which each team will play two matches.
Namibia will play Senegal on 4 April in their first match, while Kenya play Tunisia in the other pool match on the same day.
The winner of the match between Namibia and Senegal will then battle the winner of the match between Tunisia and Kenya, with the two losers also facing off on 7 April. The winner of the Pool A qualifies for U-20 World Rugby Trophy.
Under-20 coach Johan Diergaardt said his team is ready after going through thorough preparations for the tournament.
“We want to assure the sport commission and the rugby fraternity that we will go out and do our best.
“Something less than our best will not be satisfying for us, because we have challenged ourselves to go out and qualify for Brazil,” Diergaardt said. Team captain Gilad Plaatjies also expressed satisfaction with their level of readiness.
Gilad said the team spirit in the camp is at a high level, making it easy for them to play good rugby in Kenya.
Only ten players from last year's winning side remain in the squad and the team will field only three premier league players, given that many others are not available for selection, with the rugby season having kicked off at the weekend.
There will also be Pool B and C matches later this month.
The winner of the Pool C will be promoted to Pool B and the winner of Pool B will be promoted to Pool A.
The last-placed team in Pool A will be relegated to Pool B, while the last-placed loser in Pool B will be relegated to Pool C, and the last-placed team in Pool C will make way for a new team in 2020.
The Pool B matches will be held between the 17 and 20 April 2019 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The pool includes Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Madagascar.
The Pool C matches will be held between 8 and 11 May in Kampala, Uganda and will feature Uganda, Algeria, Zambia and Ghana.
Jesse Kauraisa
A team of 25 players and four delegates have set off for Kenya where they will compete in Rugby Africa's Barthés Trophy.
The team will seek to defend the trophy they won last year, with a victory ensuring them a spot at the U-20 World Rugby Trophy to be staged in Brazil in July.
NSC chief administrator Simataa Mwiya offered his support towards the team.
“Rugby in Namibia has undergone very difficult times but you did not waver, where others wavered.
“Today we have got our u-20 team and it is all because the administration remained firm.
“We are very happy the defending champions of this trophy are going to defend it as champions in Kenya,” Mwiya said during the awarding of national colours to the team.
Namibia are in Pool A alongside Senegal, Tunisia and host nation Kenya. The U-20 Barthés Trophy is the only Rugby Africa junior tournament on the continent.
The overall tournament will see 12 teams battling it out for better rankings and qualification for bigger tournaments outside Africa.
There are three ranking-based groups in which each team will play two matches.
Namibia will play Senegal on 4 April in their first match, while Kenya play Tunisia in the other pool match on the same day.
The winner of the match between Namibia and Senegal will then battle the winner of the match between Tunisia and Kenya, with the two losers also facing off on 7 April. The winner of the Pool A qualifies for U-20 World Rugby Trophy.
Under-20 coach Johan Diergaardt said his team is ready after going through thorough preparations for the tournament.
“We want to assure the sport commission and the rugby fraternity that we will go out and do our best.
“Something less than our best will not be satisfying for us, because we have challenged ourselves to go out and qualify for Brazil,” Diergaardt said. Team captain Gilad Plaatjies also expressed satisfaction with their level of readiness.
Gilad said the team spirit in the camp is at a high level, making it easy for them to play good rugby in Kenya.
Only ten players from last year's winning side remain in the squad and the team will field only three premier league players, given that many others are not available for selection, with the rugby season having kicked off at the weekend.
There will also be Pool B and C matches later this month.
The winner of the Pool C will be promoted to Pool B and the winner of Pool B will be promoted to Pool A.
The last-placed team in Pool A will be relegated to Pool B, while the last-placed loser in Pool B will be relegated to Pool C, and the last-placed team in Pool C will make way for a new team in 2020.
The Pool B matches will be held between the 17 and 20 April 2019 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The pool includes Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Madagascar.
The Pool C matches will be held between 8 and 11 May in Kampala, Uganda and will feature Uganda, Algeria, Zambia and Ghana.
Jesse Kauraisa
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