Welwitschias assistant coach Chrysander Botha says they will announce the team to face the Blue Bulls from South Africa in preparation for the 2023 World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, following a national trial match on Saturday at the Hage Geingob Stadium.
Speaking after the game, Botha said it was a tough match under windy and cold conditions.
“The boys did well considering that we just brought them together coming from everywhere (different clubs), we saw a lot of good things and we will soon announce the team and share with everyone involved,” he added.
He said the trial match was a good opportunity for local players because it allows them to raise their hands to be selected for the qualifier matches scheduled for July in France.
Botha, who is also the under-20 coach said he together with the other two assistant coaches, Barend Pieterse and Jood Opperman from South Africa, will make a collective decision to select the best possible squad.
“We have quite a few players who have a few niggles but we will give those guys enough time to recover. This was a big mix of guys from different local teams. The past four weeks have given these guys enough for match fitness,” he explained.
Botha said Namibia needs to do the basic things right; the rest will fall into place, adding they will prepare the local guys well to give them an equal opportunity with their international teammates.
The former Welwitschias winger and all-time leading try-scorer refused to be drawn into discussing names of players who impressed, saying he would rather wait till Tuesday.
Two teams made up of local players faced each other at Hage Geingob Stadium here with the Blue Team winning 50-31 against the Red Team.
The match was organised to allow the coaches to select a squad of 26 players who will face the Blue Bulls invitational team on 04 June at the Hage Geingob Stadium.
After that, foreign-based players will join the team and go into a three-week camp in Stellenbosch in South Africa before flying out to France to participate in the World Cup qualifiers.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
