Danco captains youthful squad for Africa Cup
Rugby
In the absence of three test flyhalves, Danco Burger could be moved to start in the 10 jersey.
Head coach Allister Coetzee will persist with a youthful looking squad as Namibia departs to Uganda’s capital Kampala today to compete at the Rugby Africa Cup.Due to various reasons including players’ professional club commitments overseas, (semi-)retirements and injuries, Namibia find themselves understrength and without the usual level of combined experience.
While players such as props Nelius Theron and Renard Hattingh (Grootfontein), Jano Otto (United), Ignus Tripodi (Wanderers) or Herman Coetzee (unavailable with French club Racing 92), lock and flank Johan Luttig (Grootfontein) or Kudus’s 2019 World Cup centre pairing PJ Walters and Justin Newman could all have added a different look to the travelling squad, Coetzee remains steadfast in using the upcoming investment in the available locally-based youth.
Besides eight who only made their test debuts against Portugal last weekend (four sent on off the bench in the second half, all for 16 minutes or less), the touring squad still contains another four forwards and two backs yet to receive full test caps.
Centre Danco Burger will captain the touring squad, while Prince !Gaoseb (flank, hand injury) and Adriaan Ludick (lock, hamstring) are still on the injured list following their training field mishaps last week.
Prop Chemigan Beukes was also ruled out with a rib muscle injury against Portugal, after he was sent on from the 51st to 74th minutes.
Fly-half Tiaan Swanepoel, voted player of the match for 17 kicking points against Portugal, will also miss out on the tour as he appears set to take up a contract offer to join the Sharks from Japanese second-tier club Green Rockets Tokatsu.
With Swanepoel, injured Cliven Loubser and André van der Berg (currently transfering from Wanderers to French club Limoges) all out of the reckoning, Coetzee
TOURING SQUAD
With the exception of Swanepoel and Beukes, 21 of the match-23 against Portugal remains for the Rugby Africa challenge, as follows:
Backs: Jay-Cee Nel (Griquas, 1 test), Quirione Majiedt (Unam, 1 test), Alcino Izaacs (Unam, 6 tests), Danco Burger (captain, Wanderers, 11 tests), Lloyd Jacobs (Kudus, 1 test), Jacques Theron (Wanderers, 6 tests), AJ Kearns (Unam, 1 test), Denzo Bruwer (Wanderers, 1 test).
Forwards: Adriaan Booysen (no club, 19 tests), Max Katjijeko (RFC Los Angeles, 25 tests), Peter Diergaardt (Wanderers, 1 test), Johan Retief (Wanderers, 25 tests), Ruan Ludick (Chartres, France, 27 tests), Haitembu Shikufa (Leopards, 5 tests), Obert Nortje (Wanderers, 23 tests), Jason Benade (Unam, 18 tests), Armand Combrinck (Maties / WP U20, 1 test), Desiderius Sethie (Unam, 23 tests), Mahepisa Tjeriko (Unam, 13 tests), Kistings Minyoi (Unam, 0 tests).
The other seven additions to the player squad are props Herschell van Wyk (Wanderers, 2 tests) and Ian Klitzke (United, 0 tests), hooker Wikus Jacobs (Grootfontein, 1 test), lock Diamando Tjombe (Unam, 0 tests), scrumhalf Oela Blaauw (UJ, 1 test), wing Nandivatu Karuuombe (Wanderers, 0 tests) and centre Natie van Rensburg (0 tests).
FIXTURES
Namibia (defending champions, ranked first) will open their campaign against Burkina Faso this Saturday.
A win will pit them against either Zimbabwe or hosts Uganda.
The two fixtures in the other half of the draw are Kenya v Senegal and Ivory Coast v Algeria.