Flankers Andre Vermeulen and Thomasu Forbes, centre Darryl de le Harpe and scrumhalf Eniel Buitendach are four new additions to the Namibian rugby squad that will take on Russia in an international friendly on Saturday, January 23. The two loose forwards have come through the junior ranks and have been playing in South Africa for the past few years.
Forbes captained Namibia’s Under 20 team at the 2008 International Rugby Trophy competition in Chile, while he captained Griquas’ Under 21 side in South Africa last year. This year he has been contracted to play for the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth.
The 22-year-old Vermeulen has been studying in Cape Town for the past three years where he represented Villagers club. Before he left he played for Wanderers and represented a Namibian Invitation team against the Blue Bulls.
Vermeulen and Forbes have been included in the starting 15, while Buitendach and De la Harpe will be on the bench. Stellenbosch University student Buitendach is the son of former South West Africa scrumhalf Basie Buitendach, while De la Harpe plays for Namibian Premier League club Western Suburbs.
Namibia’s European-based professional players will not be available for the match due to club commitments. They include prop Kees Lensing and loose forwards Jacques Nieuwenhuis, Jacques Burger and Tinus du Plessis.
Most of Namibia’s South African based professionals like lock Nico Esterhuizen, hooker Hugo Horn, and props Jane du Toit and Marius Visser are however available for the match, although Boland centre Piet Smit has not been called up.
National coach, Johan Diergaardt, who will take charge of the team for the first time against Russia, said the local based players have been training since January 4 and that they would be joined by the professionals on Monday.
“We have been preparing for the Vodacom Cup and everything is going well. The attendance has been great and the spirit in the team is high,” he said.
Diergaardt said that Russia would provide a strong physical challenge, although he was confident that Namibia could beat them at home.
“I saw them on TV playing in the IRB Nations Cup, where they finished fifth overall, winning only one match against Uruguay. Their players are big and physical, but their handling skills are not that great,” he said.
The Namibian team is as follows:
Johnny Redelinghuis, Hugo Horn, Jane Du Toit, Wacca Kazombiaze, Nico Esterhuizen, Andre Vermeulen, Tomashu Forbes, P.J. Van Lill, Eugene Jantjies, Emile Wessels, Wally Winkler, Dawid Philander, Bradley Langenhoven, McGrath van Wyk, Chrysander Botha.
Reserves:
Shaun Esterhuizen, Marius Visser, Heinz Koll, Renaud Van Neel, Eniel Buitendach, Tinus Venter and Daryl De La Harpe.