Staff Reporter
PARIS, Sept. 9 — Namibia is gearing up for its opening match in the Rugby World Cup, facing off against Italy on Saturday. Coach Allister Coetzee believes that despite past challenges, the team’s qualification for the tournament in France is already a significant achievement.
The matchup will take place at Saint Etienne’s Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, and Namibia is hoping for a closer contest than their last encounter with Italy during the 2019 World Cup, where they lost 47-22 in the opening pool match.
This marks the seventh consecutive World Cup appearance for Namibia, who have yet to secure a victory in their 22 previous tournament matches. Nevertheless, Coetzee insists that their journey to the World Cup is a triumph in itself.
“Success for a Namibian team is once you overcome all the challenges and you get to a World Cup for a seventh time, that is already a success in its own right,” stated the coach.
Coetzee acknowledged the sacrifices made by his squad, including players who had to change jobs to accommodate their absence from work for a month due to the World Cup qualifiers.
Namibia, a sparsely populated southern African nation, faces unique logistical challenges, with players travelling long distances for training and practices. Coetzee praised the resilience and love for rugby displayed by the Namibian people.
Coetzee believes that Namibia can match Italy in various aspects of the game and stresses the importance of set pieces as a foundation for building pressure points. He expressed confidence in the team’s growth in key areas, emphasizing their readiness to compete.
Despite being without captain and star player Johan Deysel due to injury, Coetzee remains optimistic about Namibia’s chances against Italy. He highlighted the squad’s experience and determination to play their own style of rugby.
The match against Italy holds significant importance for Namibia’s chances of advancing to the tournament’s knockout stages, making it a must-win fixture. Coetzee emphasized the team’s readiness and determination to secure a victory.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 CAT (13:00 GMT) on Saturday. Rugby fans will be eagerly watching to see if Namibia can secure a memorable win in this Rugby World Cup campaign.
