Welwitschias need to arrest the slide down rankings

Rugby
Andrew Poolman
  • 4 Hours Ago
The Namibia Rugby Union looks set to take a hit on various fronts from the national men’s team’s misfiring in this year’s decisive Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifying campaign.

Some financial implications should be expected over the coming years until the next opportunities arise to qualify for the 2031 World Cup to be held in the USA, pending on goal-setting and reviews which are usually done in conjunction with World Rugby officials in-between the four-year World Cup cycles.

However, less prospects of high-level competition could become another aspect affected by Namibia’s failure to qualify for Australia 2027, and also based on the national men’s team’s decline in the world rankings to its current 27th position.

Portugal (20th), Belgium (22nd), Hong Kong China (23rd), Canada (24th), Zimbabwe (25th) and Netherlands (26th) have one by one slipped past Namibia over the recent months and years.

Hong Kong China has qualified for the 2027 World Cup, alongside Zimbabwe as winner of the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup. Since its independence in 1990, Namibia has spent decades ahead of both these nations on the world rankings.

Just below Namibia on the latest rankings updated yesterday are Switzerland (28th), Poland (29th), Czechia (30th), Paraguay (31st), Brazil (32nd) – who faces Namibia in a historic first test meeting today – and another nation in freefall on the rankings due its suspension from international competition, namely Russia (33rd).



World Rugby Nations Championship

From its inaugural edition beginning in 2026, the World Rugby Nations Championship is set to become a biennial international men's rugby competition, which is scheduled to take place in the mid-year and end-of-year international windows in even-numbered years.

The competition will consist of twelve teams, involving the current Six Nations (England, France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and SANZAAR (Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) unions, in addition to two invited unions, Fiji and Japan – coincidentally the remaining two automatic qualifiers by 2023 pool standings for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

The competition will be held in even-numbered years, as these are the years when there is no British & Irish Lions tour or Rugby World Cup, both of which are of prestige and commercial importance to the sport.

Another 12-team Second Division has been proposed – with Namibia set to be excluded from the group of traditional Tier Two peer nations.

According to the forecast format, the twelve nations in the Second Division are set to be:

• Canada (Pacific Nations Cup)

• Chile (Sudamérica Rugby Cup)

• Georgia (Rugby Europe Championship)

• Hong Kong (Asia Rugby Championship)

• Portugal (Rugby Europe Championship)

• Romania (Rugby Europe Championship)

• Spain (Rugby Europe Championship)

• Tonga (Pacific Nations Cup)

• United States (Pacific Nations Cup)

• Uruguay (Sudamérica Rugby Cup)

• Zimbabwe (Africa Cup)

• One more nation to be determined – possibly the winner of today’s decisive final at the Rugby World Cup 2027 final qualifying tournament in Dubai, between Samoa and Belgium (kick-off at 17:30 Namibian time).



Brazil awaits today

After both had lost their fixtures against both Samoa and Belgium, Namibia and Brazil will clash in a fierce contest of national pride in Dubai today (kick-off at 15:00 Namibian time).

World Rugby will broadcast the matches on its online and app platform RugbyPass TV.

Tighthead prop Joshua Bester, who represented Namibia U20 at the Rugby Africa Barthés Cup this year, has been selected to make his test debut on the last match day of the RWC final qualifying tournament.

In the backline, another national U20 star of this year, left wing Jurgen Meyer, will take over from JC Greyling, while Andre van der Berg will play outside centre next to Johan Deysel.

Jay-Cee Nel moves from outside centre to take over from Divan Rossouw at fullback, while Jacques Theron and Aston Mukwiilongo have been added as the only two backline players on the bench alongside Riaan Grové.

15 Jay-Cee Nel (Airlink Pumas)

14 Danie van der Merwe (FNB Wanderers)

13 André van der Berg (US Limoges, France)

12 Johan Deysel (FNB Wanderers)

11 Jurgen Meyer (FNB Wanderers)

10 Cliven Loubser (Anthem Rugby, USA)

9 Helarius Kisting (Dinamo Bucure?ti, Romania)

8 Wian Conradie (New England Free Jacks, USA)

7 Max Katjijeko (CSA Steaua Bucuresti, Romania)

6 Prince !Gaoseb (CSA Steaua Bucuresti, Romania)

5 Johan Retief (Orkan Sochaczew, Poland)

4 Adriaan Ludick (CSA Steaua Bucuresti, Romania)

3 Joshua Bester (Villagers, Cape Town)

2 Louis van der Westhuizen (captain, Free State Cheetahs)

1 Otja Auala (FNB Unam / Rhino rugby academy, Cape Town)

Bench

16 Armand Combrinck (Maties)

17 Haitembu Shikufa (Leopards)

18 Aranos Coetzee (Free State Cheetahs)

19 Johan Luttig (FNB Grootfontein)

20 Riaan Grové (Sarlat-la-Canéda, France)

21 Jacques Theron (FNB Wanderers)

22 Aston Mukwiilongo (FNB Kudus)

23 Adriaan Booysen (US Marmandaise, France)