Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The national rugby team, the Welwitschias, are preparaing for the repechage tournament in Dubai, where they aim to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Head coach Jacques Burger made the commitment after Namibia’s dominant 86-29 victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Kampala, Uganda.
The win secured Namibia’s place in the repechage tournament, set for November 2025. The winner will earn a spot in the World Cup.
TThe tournament will feature four teams from different continents: Belgium (Europe), Brazil (South America), Canada (North America), and Namibia (Africa).
Burger stressed the importance of thorough preparation ahead of the competition.
“To get this win and get the second opportunity to qualify for the World Cup…to have a third African team is a big responsibility.We will work incredibly hard these next couple of months and make sure we are well prepared when we go to Dubai,” he said.
Namibia failed to automatically qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1999, losing to Zimbabwe in the Rugby Africa Cup final. Burger said lapses in concentration had cost them.
“It happened throughout the tournament where we let teams off the hook… we would score and let them score against us. But it is not a matter of the way we play and lack of effort, it is just lapses of concentration throughout the game, and it is something we really need to work on,” he explained.
Team captain Prince !Goaseb said the win against the UAE had lifted morale after the loss to Zimbabwe.
“It is now a morale booster in the team as everyone now believes World Cup qualification is within reach,” he said.
