By Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK, Aug. 22 — Former Australia international flanker Richard Hardwick has been named in the Namibia squad for the Rugby World Cup.
Hardwick, who was born in Windhoek but raised in Australia, won two Wallaby caps in 2017. He is eligible to play for Namibia under a World Rugby rule change that allows test-capped players to represent a second national team if they are eligible, after a period of three years of inactivity with their original country.
Hardwick is one of 33 players named in the Namibia squad for the World Cup, which will be held in France from September 8 to October 28. The squad also includes experienced centre Johan Deysel, who will captain the team.
Namibia will be appearing at a seventh World Cup, having qualified for every tournament since 1999. They have never won a match at the World Cup, but they will be hoping to make an impact in Pool A, which also includes Italy, France, New Zealand, and Uruguay.
Coach Allister Coetzee said he was happy with the squad he had selected. “We have a good mix of experience and youth,” he said. “We are not spoilt for choice with players in Namibia, but I believe we have a good chance of making an impact at the World Cup.”
Coetzee has also added former England scrum coach Matt Proudfoot as his assistant. Proudfoot was part of the South Africa coaching team when they won the World Cup in 2019.
Namibia will begin their World Cup campaign against Italy on September 9.
