A new era for the Brave Warriors starts on Saturday when Roger Palmgren takes over the coach’s hot seat for the first time in a friendly match against Zambia at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.

It will be a tough opening encounter for Palmgren against Zambia’s Chipolopolo who have developed into one of Africa’s top ranked sides over the past few years.

With Frenchman Herve Renard at the helm, Zambia won the African Cup of Nations for the first time in their history last year, while they are currently ranked seventh on the continent and 46th in the world.

African Stars defender Freedom Puriza plans to become an integral part of the new Brave Warriors team under Swedish coach Roger Palmgren following his recent call up.

Puriza has been in fine form for his club African Stars who stand a chance of winning the treble this season and he was rewarded for his exploits down the left back position with a national team call up on Monday.

The former Ramblers and Eleven Arrows player believes that the time has come for him to stamp his place in the national team and he is determined to show what he can do.

The 23rd annual Metropolitan Boards Trophy League kicks off on Saturday, 25 May in nine regions across Namibia.

During the next three months, the league, organized by the Namibia Secondary Schools Rugby Union (NSSR) will showcase a total of 99 teams of Namibia’s greatest junior rugby talent.

Metropolitan Namibia will sponsor the league for the 23rd consecutive year and their Public Relations Practitioner Talitha Jario said they had succeeded in their aim of making it one of the most prestigious sporting events in Namibia.

The Welwitschias will play their final warmup match before the World Cup qualifiers in Senegal next month, when they take on a strong South African Presidents XV in Windhoek on Saturday.

Welwitschias coach Danie Vermeulen has selected a strong team that will feature Namibia’s top foreign based players for the first time this season.

Fullback Chrysander Botha, who has been in great form for the Lions and helped them to win the Vodacom Cup, returns to the team at fullback, while right wing Danie Dames joins the team from the Leopards.

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Namibian Basketball Federation (NBF) recently announced another short-term project aiming at developing basketball sport in Namibia.

German expert Peter Schey arrived in Namibia on 17 May to conduct coaching clinics for teachers, coaches and youth players in Tsumeb, Ongwediva and Rundu.

The focus will be on 3x3 basketball, a competition form that is part of the Youth Olympic Games and might be introduced at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.