Rugby World Cup 2015 1 17 September 2015 A Date with Destiny Russell van Wyk breaks away for a try against Russia. Photo: Helge Schutz Compiled by: Helge Schütz & Johannes Aoxamub Photo: Yvonne Amukwaya Rugby World Cup A Publication of 2015 17 September 2015 2 Rugby World Cup 2015 Foreword by NRU President n behalf of the NRU board, I wish to skill, commitment, strength and endurance when congratulate all the players who have made they run out onto the field and take on our opponents it into our Rugby World Cup 2015 squad. during RWC 2015. OFor many of you it is indeed a dream come true and a I trust that you as players representing Namibia reward for all the effort and hard work that you have will be true ambassadors of our beautiful country and put in over the last couple of months. that you will show to the rest of the world that we as a Our road to qualification has certainly not been an nation are indeed a force to be reckoned with. easy one. During 2012 we found ourselves relegated Needless to mention that our participation in to the CAR 1 B division of the Africa Cup and we this prestigious tournament would not have been had to fight our way to the top again. But we did our possible was it not for the generosity of our sponsors country proud when we defeated Madagascar in 2015 Windhoek Draught, First National Bank of Namibia, in a match which many of us will remember for years Air Namibia, Auas Motors, Paratus Telecom and so to come. many others who have made contributions. The last couple of weeks saw us defeating Russia, I must however extend a special word of gratitude Kenya and Zimbabwe in test matches which can only to His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob, our Patron, as be described as spectacular. All this could not have well as the government of the Republic of Namibia been possible without the work that the board, the for the commitment and support towards rugby in our team management, the coaches and other specialist country. staff put in over the last four years to create an To our team, each one of you deserves to wear the environment which allowed our players to perform. jersey. Make us all proud, play your hearts out, but In evaluating our setbacks and our accomplishments, don’t forget to enjoy the game we all love so much! I can only conclude that Namibia rugby has indeed In closing, I wish also to extend a special thank MAKE US PROUD … President Hage Geingob with Namibia bounced back. you to every other stakeholder of the Namibia Rugby captain Jacques Burger. Our first match against the world-renowned All Union. Let us all get behind our team and enjoy Blacks will certainly test us to perform at levels never together over the next couple of weeks a tournament, experienced before. I am confident however, that our which will certainly be a rugby spectacle at its best. team will take this opportunity to display exceptional Bradley Basson Rugby team receives Presidential support Let the Rugby World Cup begin! ne of the biggest sporting amibian President Hage added. spectacles in the world, the Geingob is a big supporter of Earlier this month, President Rugby World Cup (RWC) the national rugby team and Geingob hosted the team to a Okicks off in England tomorrow when Nhas played a major role in rallying the luncheon at State House, where he England take on Fiji in the opening nation’s support behind the team. once again urged them to shock the match at Twickenham Stadium. Message When they qualified for the Rugby world, when they take on the world The 20-team tournament, which World Cup after beating Madagascar champions New Zealand in their first will be played in 11 cities, will attract in June last year, he hosted the team to match at the Rugby World Cup in 440 000 overseas visitors and over 2 by CEO of NRU a luncheon on their return to Namibia London on 24 September. million Britons in the biggest boost and congratulated them on their “I was dreaming that we are going to tourism in England since the 2012 remarkable achievement of qualifying to give the All Blacks hell. It’s going London Olympic Games. n August 2012 I accepted the challenge to A High Performance Centre was established and for their fifth successive World Cup. to be a heck of a game so please go It is estimated that the Rugby become the CEO of the NRU and the three main the players had the opportunity to prepare themselves “I would like to congratulate and fulfil my dream,” he said. World Cup will generate nearly 1 objectives set for me at the time was to firstly in a facility that enabled them to train at high intensity the Namibia Rugby Union and the Geingob congratulated the team on billion Pounds for Britain’s transport Iensure we qualify for RWC 2015, secondly that we on and off the field. Goal number two was achieved. Welwitschias for I’ve watched this its achievements and and tourism industries, while the 17 go to RWC in 20th position on the world rankings We participated in the Vodacom Cup in 2015 an outstanding urged the players to matches to be played in London will and thirdly that a High Performance Centre be which assisted in preparing the local players for performance over team play three make their country bring nearly 200 million Pounds to the established to prepare our players for the demands of the international season ahead. We kicked the the weekend which times now and I proud. capital. high-intensity international rugby. international season off in June 2015 with a match in ensured that Namibia saw that they are “This is the Furthermore the unprecedented The year 2014 turned out to be one of the most Tunisia and then the Nations Cup in Romania. qualified for the 2015 fifth time that interest in the tournament was exciting and unpredictable qualification years of all In July we achieved a historical series win over Rugby World Cup. very difficult to you are going to underlined by the fact that more than time for RWC qualification. We lost our first match Russia and beat Kenya and Zimbabwe in August Your performance beat. So this time the World Cup so 90 percent of the 2,45 million tickets against Kenya in Madagascar and it seemed that to be crowned African champions for 2015. These brought joy and you must win at congratulations on have already been sold for what will be pride to the people qualifying again, we the biggest RWC tournament the world Kenya would qualify for RWC. We managed to beat results saw us moving up the rankings from 22nd to least one game at Zimbabwe narrowly, but without the desired bonus 20th place as of 21 August. Goal number three was of Namibia and are proud of you,” he has ever seen. point, which did not guarantee our qualification, but achieved. exemplified the the World Cup. said. The world’s top 20 rugby nations still left the door open. The team ended their preparation for the RWC bravery and never say “You have been will battle it out for ultimate glory in We were, however, dependant on the result in with a camp in Durban where we had the opportunity die spirit of our nation,” he said. training under trying conditions the quadrennial event, and Namibia the Kenya and Zimbabwe match, which was won to train with the Springboks. A very valuable week “We are all aware that Namibia with some amateurs in your team will once again be there after having by Zimbabwe on the final day of the competition. indeed, and I am positively excited about the has been drawn in a tough group while rugby all over the world is qualified as the African champions. This result meant that if we won the match against prospects of the team’s performance at the RWC. which includes the New Zealand All professional now. But remember that Their qualification was a remarkable Madagascar all three teams would be on 10 log points, On 24 September we open our campaign against the Blacks and Argentina. However, this you are from the Land of the Brave so journey against all odds, and that and the team with the biggest points difference would world champions at a sold-out Olympic stadium, an is Namibia’s fifth successive Rugby go out there and make us proud,” he tremendous spirit and camaraderie will qualify for RWC. honour for any rugby player. We move on to Exeter World Cup and the time is right for us added. now be put to the ultimate test as they We ran onto the field knowing we had to win the where we will play Tonga and Georgia, at our home to progress from mere participants to Geingob said the team had it in take on the world’s strongest nations. match by more than 57 points, which was a huge ask, base for the RWC. history making giant killers. It is time them to win their first match at the This is the fifth time that Namibia but a determined team ran out and by halftime had The support from the people of Exeter will certainly to win,” he added. World Cup. has qualified for the World Cup but so already achieved that goal.