Namibia’s senior rugby team the Welwitschias on Saturday defeated Uganda’s Rugby Cranes during the 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup in Windhoek, Namibia. The game is also a qualifier for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Namibia ended the game on top with a 55-06 score.
According to an APO news release, the Welwitschias, who have won the Rugby Africa Gold Cup for four times in a row started off their defence on a positive note as they humbled Uganda 55-6 at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday afternoon.
It only took seven minutes for the Namibian team to put points on the scoreboard after brilliant play from the right wing to the left found right flanker Janco Venter who scored their opening try and Cliven Loubser made no mistake from the spot.
Namibia strike once again in the 12th minute through Johann Greyling who was too strong and fast for the Ugandan’s. Venter converted from the spot.
Uganda had a chance of bringing themselves back into the game when the referee awarded them a penalty in the 16th minute but a poor taken penalty by their scrum half Aaron Ofoyrwoth kept the score line the same.
In the 18th minute the Welwitschias score their third try of the match from a lineout after a brilliant driving maun saw their hooker Orbet Nortje add to their score once more with Loubser scoring the conversion to make the score 21-0.
Before the half time break Namibia’s team captain Johan Deysel score one more try for his team in the 27th minute but Loubser miss from the spot.
Uganda were once more given a penalty in the 34th minutes and James Ijongat made no mistake as he added his team’s first points on the scoreboard.
The half time score was 26-3 in favour of the home team.
In the second half it was still a one-way affair as the Namibians ran in five more tries compared to their opponents who only scored a penalty.
Namibia’s tries in the second half were scored by hooker, Louis van der Westhuizen who scored two tries, left flanker Wian Conradie scored one, Greyling scored his second try of the match, while full back Chrysander Botha who made his 50th cap on the day also added to the score board with his try in the 66th minute of the match.
Ijongat scored his second penalty for the Rubgy Cranes while Ofoyrwoth missed a penalty once more in the second half.
Out of the five tries that were scored by Namibia in the second half only two were converted. Loubser converted once while substitute Pieter Steenkamp converted the other.
Speaking to the media after the match Namibia’s coach Phil Davies said the match was very hard for his team but he was happy they won it as more difficult tests still awaits them.
His captain Deysel who captained the team for the first time said it was good to win in front of the home supporters and they will now turn their attention to their next match of the competition.
Meanwhile, Chairman of World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa, Abdelaziz Bougja expressed his excitement on the great rugby displayed by both teams.
“The defending champions meant business and did not leave anything to chance. Uganda had a difficult start but I wish to congratulate both teams for displaying great rugby. This second match was also the first leg of our trophy tour and clearly today’s matches have shown that all six teams will fight hard to take the prize home! Thank you to our unions for hosting these matches brilliantly and to Kwese Sports for enabling the whole world to see what African rugby is all about”, he said.
“The excitement, support and suspense that surrounds the Rugby Africa Gold Cup keeps growing every year. The opening day of the 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup has been hailed a huge success by the fans and sponsors. Rugby is the fastest growing sport in Africa and has seen record participation growth and fan engagement over the last five years”, said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and CEO of APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the main Official Partner of Rugby Africa.
The other fixtures are as follows:
23 June 2018, Tunisia (home)
30 June 2018, Morocco (away)
04 August 2018, Zimbabwe (away)
18 August 2018 Kenya (home)