Namibia pin hopes on experience

Namibia will be banking on experience to strengthen their defence when they face African neighbours South Africa at North Harbour Stadium on Thursday.

In making six changes to the team that lost to Samoa, coach Johan Diergaardt has named the most experienced side Namibia have fielded in Test rugby, boasting a total of 264 caps.

Jacques Nieuwenhuis, who scored a memorable try against Ireland at Rugby World Cup 2007, has been recalled to number 8 and will be joined by Marius Visser, Bertus O’Callaghan, Nico Esterhuyse and Tinus du Plessis in the forwards, while Heine Bock comes in on the left wing.

Coach Diergaardt says his selections were influenced by the wear and tear from heavy losses to Fiji (49-25) and Samoa (49-12).

“We don’t really have any major injuries but we would like to save some players because of niggles,” he said.

“It’s a long tournament, we’ve just played two hard games and it takes a strain on the body.”

South Africa have made five changes for the match, with prop CJ van der Linde coming in for Jannie du Plessis, Willem Alberts replacing Heinrich Brüssow, Francois Hougaard named at starting scrum half and Bryan Habana and Gio Aplon on the wings.

Out of position

Victor Matfield, Johann Muller, Butch James and Jean de Villiers were not considered for selection due to injury.

Coach Peter de Villiers admitted the considerable injury toll meant players such as number 8 Alberts, named at flanker for Thursday’s match, have to play out of their first-choice positions.

“We are really getting thin at the moment,” de Villiers said.

“We'll just have to see what Willem (Alberts) can bring when he starts because we can't estimate what will happen going forward.”

Like Namibia, South Africa will be banking on the benefit of experience. Captain John Smit will win his 109th cap and become the most experienced South African player in history.

The sides have met only once before, in the lead-up to RWC 2007, and the scoreboard did not make pleasant reading for the Welwitschias. The soon-to-be world champions South Africa showed no mercy as they ran in 15 tries to record a 105-13 victory.

No mercy

Namibia are fielding nine players from the side that took the park that day, including captain Jacques Burger, who says retaining possession against the Springboks is key to avoiding a similar result.

"We've got to keep the ball as much as possible. I do think if we get the ball and keep the ball in hand we do look dangerous at times,” he said.

"A team like South Africa, if you give them a lot of ball, they're going to score a lot of points against you. That's the way it is. That's just the way they play."

There is no doubt Namibia are a much-improved team from the one that took the field against South Africa in 2007, but patient attack from the Springboks should still result in plenty of opportunities.

One player who will be praying for those opportunities to come his way is Habana. The fleet-footed wing needs one try to surpass Joost van der Westhuizen to become the highest try-scorer in South African rugby history.

But according to his coach, personal achievements are secondary to the goal of notching a convincing win over Namibia.

"It's important for us to be really ruthless again and try to improve on the areas that we have shown progress on,” de Villiers said.