Uruguay dominate first test
Namibia's test match against Uruguay was mostly lost in the first half as the South Americans took an unassailable lead.
Uruguay clinched the first rugby test against Namibia with 52-36, after holding a 31-17 lead at halftime in their first-ever visit to the Hage Geingob Stadium on Saturday.
Namibia, playing without a number of frontline stalwarts, fought back well from 17-0 down to come to within two points (36-38) late in the second half, before two tries in the last five minutes further inflated the South Americans' score.
Uruguay drew first blood with a try by prop Mateo Sanguinetti in the fifth minute of the game, converted by wing Federico Favaro.
The tourists struck again with a try by flyhalf Rodrigo Silva on 12 minutes, which was converted by Favaro to take the score to 14-0.
Favaro's accurate boot gave the South Americans another three points with a penalty conversion.
Namibia suffered an injury blow as lock Mahepisa Tjeriko went off with a shoulder injury midway through the first half. The home team registered their first points with a penalty converted by flyhalf Cliven Loubser.
Alejandro Nieto improved Uruguay's total with a try which Favaro converted to make the score 24-3. The Uruguayan number 8 also scored his team's next try.
Centre Darryl de la Harpe struck with a well-taken try on the blind side, converted by Cliven Loubser to bring the score to 10-24. Namibia fought back with tries by captain Rohan Kitshoff, prop AJ de Klerk and fullback Johann Tromp.
However, the South Americans' experience proved vital as they forced two more late tries by flyhalf Silva and replacement prop Carlos Arboleya, to bring the final score to 52-36.
Namibia's 20-year-old flyhalf Cliven Loubser was named man of the match.
The two-test series sponsored by Windhoek Lager concludes next Saturday, 25 November at 16:00.
Jesse Jackson Kauraisa
Namibia, playing without a number of frontline stalwarts, fought back well from 17-0 down to come to within two points (36-38) late in the second half, before two tries in the last five minutes further inflated the South Americans' score.
Uruguay drew first blood with a try by prop Mateo Sanguinetti in the fifth minute of the game, converted by wing Federico Favaro.
The tourists struck again with a try by flyhalf Rodrigo Silva on 12 minutes, which was converted by Favaro to take the score to 14-0.
Favaro's accurate boot gave the South Americans another three points with a penalty conversion.
Namibia suffered an injury blow as lock Mahepisa Tjeriko went off with a shoulder injury midway through the first half. The home team registered their first points with a penalty converted by flyhalf Cliven Loubser.
Alejandro Nieto improved Uruguay's total with a try which Favaro converted to make the score 24-3. The Uruguayan number 8 also scored his team's next try.
Centre Darryl de la Harpe struck with a well-taken try on the blind side, converted by Cliven Loubser to bring the score to 10-24. Namibia fought back with tries by captain Rohan Kitshoff, prop AJ de Klerk and fullback Johann Tromp.
However, the South Americans' experience proved vital as they forced two more late tries by flyhalf Silva and replacement prop Carlos Arboleya, to bring the final score to 52-36.
Namibia's 20-year-old flyhalf Cliven Loubser was named man of the match.
The two-test series sponsored by Windhoek Lager concludes next Saturday, 25 November at 16:00.
Jesse Jackson Kauraisa
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