Danco now captain after Prince and Adriaan Ludick pull out

Rugby
Andrew Poolman
  • 1 Year Ago 12 July 2024
Danco Burger will captain Namibia for the first time in Saturday's rugby test against Portugal at Hage Geingob Stadium (kick-off at 15:00, taking over the role following the late withdrawal of flank Prince !Gaoseb who suffered a hand injury in training this week.

Burger, who will turn 26 later this month, has progressed through the ranks since representing Elnatan High School at Stampriet, followed by Namibia U18 Academy Week, Namibia U20, Varsity Cup for Shimlas and one season for Polish club Orkan Sochaczew, before making his senior test debut at centre alongside Johan Deysel against Kenya at Stellenbosch in November 2021.

With 10 tests behind his name, Burger will lead a Namibian team unusually inexperienced against such a serious challenger – a situation worsened by two late withdrawals through training ground injuries during the test match week.

Peter Diergaardt (Wanderers) has been promoted to make his international debut at flank in place of his former Namibia U20 and Blue Bulls U20 partner !Gaoseb.

Diergaardt's place on the bench will be filled with the unexpected late call-up for Kistings Minyoi (Unam), the former HTS Windhoek number 8 who represented Namibia U20 earlier this year.

Coach Allister Coetzee's other enforced replacement this week was lock Adriaan Ludick, who suffered a slight hamstring muscle tear at training. His older brother Ruan Ludick is thus promoted to start as Johan Retief's lock partner, with Mahepisa Tjeriko now included on the bench.

The updated Namibia team starting against Portugal shows 12 changes since the last test (the 36-26 loss to Uruguay at last year’s World Cup) – with only prop Jason Benade, centres Danco Burger and Alcino Izaacs remaining.

Desiderius Sethie (58th minute), Haitembu Shikufa (58’), Adriaan Booysen (60’), Max Katjijeko (72’) and Jacques Theron (74’) made appearances off the bench against Uruguay, with Sethie being red-carded after 63 minutes for a high tackle.

The updated Namibia team:

15 Jay-Cee Nel (Griquas, debut)

14 Quirione Majiedt (Unam, debut)

13 Alcino Izaacs (Unam, 5 tests)

12 Danco Burger (captain, Wanderers, 10 tests, two tries)

11 Lloyd Jacobs (Kudus, debut)

10 Tiaan Swanepoel (Green Rockets Tokatsu, Japan; 5 tests, 33 points)

9 Jacques Theron (Wanderers, 5 tests)

8 Adriaan Booysen (no club, 18 tests, 4 tries)

7 Max Katjijeko (RFC Los Angeles, 24 tests, 2 tries)

6 Peter Diergaardt (Wanderers, 0 tests)

5 Johan Retief (Wanderers, 24 tests, 1 try)

4 Ruan Ludick (Chartres, France, 26 tests)

3 Haitembu Shikufa (Leopards, 4 tests)

2 Obert Nortje (vice-captain, Wanderers, 22 tests, 6 tries)

1 Jason Benade (Unam, 17 tests)

Bench:

16 Armand Combrinck (Maties / WP U20, 0 tests)

17 Desiderius Sethie (Unam, 22 tests, 1 try)

18 Chemigan Beukes (Juvenia Kraków, 1 test)

19 Mahepisa Tjeriko (Unam, 12 tests, 1 try)

20 Kistings Minyoi (Unam, 0 tests)

21 AJ Kearns (Unam, 0 tests)

22 Denzo Bruwer (Wanderers, 0 tests)

23 Hillian Beukes (Rehoboth, 0 tests)