New Namibia Rugby head coach Allister Coetzee has praised his players’ response to set back saying the current squad can go far.

Speaking to Nampa on Thursday after defeating Madagascar 52-10 in the second match of the Rugby Africa Cup Match Pool A Qualifiers on Wednesday at the Alassane Ouattara High School Stadium in Grand Bassam on Wednesday, Coetzee said his team is destined for great things.

“Firstly the players responded well to the challenge under huge pressure, we wanted the win and were desperate to stay alive in the qualifiers. Then, playing together for the second time, we had better cohesion as a team,” Coetzee said.

Namibia had previously lost to Ivory Coast 24-13 on Saturday to jeopardise their chances of qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Coetzee added that ‘the plan was simplified, therefore better execution and converting the pressure into points’.

The former Springboks coach added that playing with the wind in the first half helped to build the scoreboard pressure, which gave his team confidence.

The former, Stormers and Eastern Province Rugby coach Coetzee said as a team, they had understood the Madagascar mentality/way of playing and had shut their attacking threats down with good defense.

He paid tribute to his bench whom he said had done a great job when called into action in difficult conditions in Ivory Coast.

Namibia currently tops the log with five points followed by hosts Ivory Coast who have 4 and Madagascar on zero.

The best two teams of each of the four pools qualify for the Rugby Africa Cup 2022 (Top 8), which will serve as the final Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification event.

Coetzee was appointed in June to lead Namibia to the 2023 Rugby World Cup scheduled for France.

His other goal is to ensure that Namibia wins its first-ever match at the World Cup after five previous attempts.

Source: Namibia Press Agency