Staff Reporter
NAMIBIA takes on the Italian rugby side in a friendly international at the Hage Geingob Stadium this Friday at 3 in the afternoon. It will only be the fifth time the two sides have locked horns, the first being as far back as 1991, with an even-stevens record up to now with two wins apiece.
The last clash was in the 2019 World Cup, where Namibia bit off more pizza than they could chew, losing that encounter 47–22.
Tomorrow’s encounter will provide a preparation opportunity for the Africa Cup in mid-July and qualifying for their eighth consecutive Rugby World Cup in 2027. With Chrizander Botha stepping down as head coach due to job obligations, Darryl de la Harpe had to step up to the coaching staff, ably assisted on the sidelines by Namibian Director of Rugby, Jacques Burger, as interim head coach. De la Harpe has a rich Namibian rugby background, with three World Cups under his belt.
The clash against the Italians will by no means be a walk in the park, as Italy is a Tier 1 rugby nation, playing in the Six Nations, and even beating top European teams. Scotland was one of those victims only a year ago when they lost to Italy by one point, 22–21, in a Six Nations encounter.
With a seasonal cold front that has just made landfall in Namibia, Namibian Director of Rugby Jacques Burger has called upon rugby lovers to brave the weather and support Namibia tomorrow afternoon—and rugby in general.
Poster: Namibia Rugby Union
