Namibia’s rugby team will take on Zimbabwe in a Test match at the National Sports Stadium in Harare tomorrow at 15h00, with captain Danco Burger and head coach Jerome Paarwater expecting a physical encounter as the team continues its rebuilding phase.
Namibia heads into the match with a youthful squad, with several players set to make their Test debuts. Despite the inexperience within the group, Burger said the team was looking forward to the challenge and eager to put its preparations into practice.
Burger, who has previously played in Zimbabwe, expects an intense atmosphere in Harare, where home supporters are likely to create a challenging environment for the visitors.
“I had the privilege to play in Zimbabwe before, and I won’t call it a challenge, but the crowd and supporters are electric. The atmosphere in the stadium will be crazy,” he said.
On the field, Namibia will need to remain disciplined against a Zimbabwean side Burger described as well-rounded, particularly in the way its forwards and backs combine. He highlighted the importance of executing Namibia’s game plan and winning the set-piece battle to establish control.
Paarwater, meanwhile, said the team had limited time to prepare for the encounter because several players were involved in the domestic Premier League finals.
However, he remains satisfied with the squad’s fitness and progress ahead of Saturday’s match.
The coach added that Namibia’s recent matches had provided valuable lessons, particularly after their defeat against the Bulls. With only two national team matches, Paarwater said those outings helped him identify areas for improvement while giving younger players chances to gain experience.
“We lost against the Bulls and we learned from the mistakes we made against them. That gave me an indication of what we need to rectify and I’m happy with where we are,” he said.
Paarwater expects a tough physical contest in Harare but believes the match will be another important step in Namibia’s rebuilding process.
He acknowledged that Zimbabwe would be motivated to challenge Namibia on home soil, making it crucial for the visitors to deliver a strong performance.
Namibia is also without foreign-based players, adding another dimension to the rebuilding effort as the coaching staff works with the available local talent.
“We play to win, we don’t play to lose. It’s basically a rebuild and we have to start somewhere,” Paarwater said.
He added that while victory would be welcome, the team’s overall performance and ability to produce a positive result would be important indicators of progress.
-hnalupe@nepc.com.na
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