Two of a kind

The inclusion of diminutive scrumhalf Damian Stevens in the Namibian World Cup practice group came as a surprise to many. As the saying goes, dynamite comes in small packages and the 20-year-old’s sterling performance behind the scrum for Namibia in his debut against Kenya recently, was ample proof that he is on top of his game and has a bright future. Stevens impressed many with his accurate passing, hard-working approach around the fringes and defensive capabilities during the game. “Playing for Namibia is a fantastic experience and being able to do so with my childhood hero Chrysander Botha is a huge privilege,” says Damian, who wants to play professional rugby in France one day. To realise a dream He accredits his father, Kudus coach Collin Stevens, for going the extra mile and motivating him to realise his dream of becoming the best scrumhalf in the world. According to Damian South African-style rugby is played at a very high tempo due to the strength of the local competitions and working with top coaches such as Phil Davies, Pieter Rossouw, Pieter De Villiers, Nazeem Adams and experienced Namibian scrumhalf Eugene Jantjies, who might represent the country for a third time at the Rugby World Cup, empowered him. “There is no time to relax. Hard work definitely brings dividends and the learning process never stops. You need to continuously improve your skills as a player and enhance your capabilities in the position you play,” he says. Damian started playing rugby as a Grade 2 learner at Narraville Primary School under coach Willie Botha, Chrysander’s father. Willie van Zyl added extra finesse to Damian’s skills and playing style at Walvis Bay Private High School. He joined the University of Cape Town rugby team this year after receiving a bursary to study Public Administration, played 12 Varsity Shield games and scored three tries. He also played for the Western Province Rugby Institute in 2014, signed a one-year contract with Western Province and represented the side at U/19 level in the Currie Cup competition. He played for the U/18 Western Province Craven Week squad which won the competition in 2013 and represented the side against Italy. He was named man of the match after he scored 18 of the 25 points recorded by the team in the match against Italy. Damian also represented Namibia at U/20 level against Fiji in Portugal this year and scored a try. Hardwork, dedication Chrysander Botha (27) Namibian and Exeter Chiefs fullback, welcomed the inclusion of Stevens in the Namibian national team practice squad and says it’s good to have another Walvis Bay player in the team setup. “Damian earned his call-up. He knows hard work, dedication and commitment brought him this far and he should continue on this path,” commented Botha, who aims to win a game or two with Namibia at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England from September 18 to November 1. Namibia is in Pool C with New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Georgia. “If I am selected it would be my second World Cup and this time around I know what to expect and what’s expected from me. We are better prepared than previously. The organisational aspects, our fitness and conditioning levels have increased considerably and we are ready for action,” says Botha. He played for Kudus before joining the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competitions and represented the Lions in Super Rugby. Botha made his test debut against Zimbabwe in 2008 and also played against Fiji in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, scoring a try. He joined the English Club Exeter Chiefs in 2014, played six Premier League games, one European Challenge match and scored a try for the club before he broke his left leg in November 2014. “My club supported my rehabilitation. I recovered completely and I was able to start playing active rugby again in May 2015. The setup at Exeter Chiefs is very professional and the fans, players and management really made me feel at home and I enjoy playing rugby for them.” The Namibian practice group of 50 players will be trimmed to 36 before travelling to Durban where they will join the South African Springboks for a week of high-performance training sessions. The final team members of the Namibian World Cup side will be announced on August 28. WALVIS BAY OTIS FINCK