Bulls unstoppable into the nineties
Rugby
Namibia will need to convert the lessons provided by the Bulls into tangible improvement.
A miracle cure, or an ambulance job, may be required if Namibia wishes to upset the odds in their upcoming rugby test match against Portugal on 13 July in Windhoek.The build-up to Namibia’s first home test match since August 2018, when Phil Davies’ team defeated Kenya in a World Cup qualifier, got serious on Saturday with the friendly visit by the Vodacom Blue Bulls.
The Pretoria side, fielding a high-quality professional match squad as part of their own preparation for the upcoming Currie Cup, ran out 92-8 winners against the Windhoek Beer Welwitschias on the day.
Under the watchful eye of their director of rugby Jake White and newly appointed Currie Cup coach Phiwe Nomlomo, the Bulls can certainly not be faulted for holding anything back against the Namibian side. At halftime they had the result under wraps with a 47-3 lead.
National coach Allister Coetzee’s team primarily consisted of locally based players, with prop Haitembu Shikufa (Leopards), lock Ruan Ludick (French club Chartres), University of Johannesburg’s scrumhalf-turned-fullback Oela Blaauw and U20 hooker Armand Combrinck (Maties, WP U20) among the few exceptions.
Among the locally-based players who got an opportunity to show that they are able to raise their level from NRU premier league to something approaching professional or international level, there were not that many on Saturday.
Portugal is currently ranked 16th by World Rugby and will be firm favourites as Namibia (23rd) restarts its four-year-cycle towards the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Coetzee has already mentioned in interviews that lack of funds could hamper Namibia’s efforts to bring in its full quota of foreign professionals during the international window period.
In the days remaining before the Portugal test, Namibia will however need to convert the lessons provided by the Bulls into tangible improvement.
On Saturday, a penalty by starting fly-half Denzo Bruwer was the Welwitschias’ only reply in the first half against six tries by the Bulls, rounded off by left wing Devon Williams, fly-half Jaco van der Walt, full-back Boeta Chamberlain, flank Corne Beets, tighthead prop Francois Klopper, right wing Sergeal Petersen and a penalty try.
After the resumption, centre Aphiwe Dyanti’s try took the score to 54-3, before the Namibians finally managed their only unconverted try by centre Alcino Izaacs after 48 minutes.
More one-way traffic resumed as Corne Beets added his second, followed by the powerful replacement left wing Stravino Jacobs, 15 Chamberlain’s second, Jacobs’ second with an interception, replacement back Henry Immelman and replacement hooker Juann Else.
Bulls fly-half Jaco van der Walt landed nine successful conversions and Chamberlain added one.