The Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) has released a list of 48 national team players to play in three 2023 Rugby World Cup preparatory matches in November.
The national team will play three matches in November, starting with the Griquas at the Hage Geingob Cup in Windhoek on the 5th, before flying off to Madrid, Spain, where they will play the Spanish national team on 12 November.
They will close off the year with a match against Canada, whom they will play in the Netherlands on 19 November.
The list, which was seen by Nampa on Tuesday, includes tried and tested players who featured heavily in the World Cup qualifiers in July, new faces who impressed during the past season and some players who are making their way back from injury.
Speaking to Nampa on Tuesday, assistant coach Chrysander Botha said they are going to use the three matches to assess local players, create greater depth, observe how the locals and foreign-based players gel and look at the strengths and weaknesses of the team.
“The game against the Griquas, which is not an official test match, will allow us to have a big bench or even field two teams. We will also assess how local players apply themselves under a different environment against quality opposition,” he said.
Botha added that they will use the Spain test match to improve their rankings, should they beat them away from home, while the Canada game will be for bragging rights after the two countries’ match was called off during the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan on safety grounds due to Typhoon Hagibis.
Botha said local players will start their training on Thursday, before the foreign-based join them, along with head coach Allister Coetzee on 30 October to prepare for the Griquas match.
After the Griquas match, the technical team will select 28 players who will fly to Europe for the remaining two games.
The preliminary list of players announced by the NRU is as follows;
Chemigan Beukes, Obert Nortje, Casper Vivers, Pieter-Jan Van Lil, Max Katjiteo, Wian Conradie, Janco Venter, Prince Goaseb, Damian Stevens, Cliven Loubser, Milan van Wyk, Danco Burger, Malan le Roux, Lesly Klim, Divan Rossouw, Jano Otto, Jacobs Lodewikus, Jason Benade, Adriaan Wayne Ludik, Johan Retif, Camron Langenhoven, Bakkies Rossouw, Adriaan Booysen, Helarius Kisting, Peter Steenkamp, Daryll Wellman, Alcino Isaacs, Justin Newman, Chad Plato, Lorenzo Garcia Luis, Herchelle van Wyk, Louis van de Westhuizen, Nellus Theron, Ruan Ludick, Daimando Tjombe, Darius van Soloms, Johan Littig, Joshua Jacobs, Oderich Mouton, Jacques Theron, Andre van de Bergh, Oela Blaaw, PJ Walters, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Johannes Coetzee, Johan Deysel, Warren Ludwig and Gerswin Mouton.