Nam rugby needs global exposure - Losper - by Carlos Kambaekwa
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17 Nov 2009
WINDHOEK â€" The leg-weary but excited Namibian Rugby 15 touched down at Hosea Kutako International airport yesterday.
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WINDHOEK â€" The leg-weary but excited Namibian Rugby 15 touched down at Hosea Kutako International airport yesterday.
John Williams' charges put up a gallant showing to defeat Tunisia by 18 points to 13 in their first leg of the final berth for the IRB Africa World Cup qualifier in Tunis, Tunisia, last weekend.
The victory has boosted Namibia's chances going into the decisive final leg in Windhoek on the 28th of this month. But a cautious Williams says the job is not done yet.
"I must congratulate the boys. They have done a tremendous job because we managed to achieve our set objectives by winning our test match against Portugal â€" and the subsequent win over Tunisia has given us a head start going into the 2nd leg.
"It's business as usual because we need to keep focused and maintain our discipline to overcome the last hurdle, as we simply cannot afford complacency to creep in at this point in time."
Williams is to lead the Welwitschias for the last time and would like to settle for nothing less than a comprehensive victory.
"The good thing is that all the guys came out unscathed with no major injuries with the exception of Jurie van Tonder who suffered a knock on his knee.
"We still have two weeks to assess the injury and hopefully he will be okay," concluded the likable mentor.
Preparations for the final leg start in earnest in Windhoek today, with the foreign legion in attendance apart from captain Kees Lensing and Hugo Horn who have been given permission to return to their respective teams in Europe.
The pair will join their teammates on the 23rd of this month.
Former Namibian rugby icon Sarel Losper, who is now deputy president of the Namibian Rugby Union (NRU), says Namibia needs to embark on an extensive training programme ahead of the World Cup finals.
"Playing in Africa will take us nowhere since we have beaten almost everybody on the continent. We need to play regularly against top rugby playing nations over the next two years to get used to international rugby if we are to be competitive at the World Cup finals in 2011."
Namibia has jumped three places from 25th in world rankings to 22nd after her recent wins over Portugal and Tunisia, respectively.
Meanwhile, official sponsor of the NRU, Mobile Telecommunications Ltd (MTC), has showered the victorious Welwitschias with praises and called on all Namibians to rally behind the team for its penultimate World Cup qualifier in Windhoek in a fortnight's time.
The telecommunications giant says the first leg victory in Tunis is a big morale booster for the team, the management and indeed for the entire nation.
"Such performances give us as sponsor the confidence that the team and the code are destined for greater heights. We are cognizant of the hard work that lies ahead for the team during the return leg.
"The hopes of two million Namibians rest on the shoulders of the Namibian 15 to secure a ticket to New Zealand. We are comfortable that the team can do it, but we cannot rest on our laurels.
"We must win and win comfortably for the sake of our world rankings and confidence going forward," reads the statement by MTC's corporate affairs general manager, Albertus Aochamub.
Acohamub adds that the team needs to be supported during the build-up leading to the penultimate final leg on the 28th of November 2009. He said all Namibians should ensure that the Hage Geingob Stadium is packed to the rafters on that particular day and cheer their team to victory.
"As MTC, we will within the confines of the sponsorship agreement with the NRU do all we can to ensure that New Zealand becomes an absolute possibility," Aochamub concluded.
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John Williams' charges put up a gallant showing to defeat Tunisia by 18 points to 13 in their first leg of the final berth for the IRB Africa World Cup qualifier in Tunis, Tunisia, last weekend.
The victory has boosted Namibia's chances going into the decisive final leg in Windhoek on the 28th of this month. But a cautious Williams says the job is not done yet.
"I must congratulate the boys. They have done a tremendous job because we managed to achieve our set objectives by winning our test match against Portugal â€" and the subsequent win over Tunisia has given us a head start going into the 2nd leg.
"It's business as usual because we need to keep focused and maintain our discipline to overcome the last hurdle, as we simply cannot afford complacency to creep in at this point in time."
Williams is to lead the Welwitschias for the last time and would like to settle for nothing less than a comprehensive victory.
"The good thing is that all the guys came out unscathed with no major injuries with the exception of Jurie van Tonder who suffered a knock on his knee.
"We still have two weeks to assess the injury and hopefully he will be okay," concluded the likable mentor.
Preparations for the final leg start in earnest in Windhoek today, with the foreign legion in attendance apart from captain Kees Lensing and Hugo Horn who have been given permission to return to their respective teams in Europe.
The pair will join their teammates on the 23rd of this month.
Former Namibian rugby icon Sarel Losper, who is now deputy president of the Namibian Rugby Union (NRU), says Namibia needs to embark on an extensive training programme ahead of the World Cup finals.
"Playing in Africa will take us nowhere since we have beaten almost everybody on the continent. We need to play regularly against top rugby playing nations over the next two years to get used to international rugby if we are to be competitive at the World Cup finals in 2011."
Namibia has jumped three places from 25th in world rankings to 22nd after her recent wins over Portugal and Tunisia, respectively.
Meanwhile, official sponsor of the NRU, Mobile Telecommunications Ltd (MTC), has showered the victorious Welwitschias with praises and called on all Namibians to rally behind the team for its penultimate World Cup qualifier in Windhoek in a fortnight's time.
The telecommunications giant says the first leg victory in Tunis is a big morale booster for the team, the management and indeed for the entire nation.
"Such performances give us as sponsor the confidence that the team and the code are destined for greater heights. We are cognizant of the hard work that lies ahead for the team during the return leg.
"The hopes of two million Namibians rest on the shoulders of the Namibian 15 to secure a ticket to New Zealand. We are comfortable that the team can do it, but we cannot rest on our laurels.
"We must win and win comfortably for the sake of our world rankings and confidence going forward," reads the statement by MTC's corporate affairs general manager, Albertus Aochamub.
Acohamub adds that the team needs to be supported during the build-up leading to the penultimate final leg on the 28th of November 2009. He said all Namibians should ensure that the Hage Geingob Stadium is packed to the rafters on that particular day and cheer their team to victory.
"As MTC, we will within the confines of the sponsorship agreement with the NRU do all we can to ensure that New Zealand becomes an absolute possibility," Aochamub concluded.
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