MLR standouts in Namibia squad for South American tour

Allister Coetzee has named a 35-man Namibia squad for their tour of South American. The Welwitschias will play the Argentina XV on July 29 and Uruguay on August 5, both in Montevideo, before taking on Chile on August 12 in Valparaíso. All matches will be played under the World Rugby Nations Cup banner.

Included are five players from Major League Rugby. Wian Conradie and Le Roux Malan are selected from the title-winning New England Free Jacks, Herman Agenbag and Adriaan Booysen from the Dallas Jackals, and Damian Stevens from the NOLA Gold. Utah Warriors flyhalf or fullback Cliven Loubser has been ruled out of the tour with a minor injury but could rejoin the squad ahead of the World Cup.

Tighthead prop Agenbag is one of six uncapped players in the group. The others are loosehead prop Haitembu Shikufa, hooker Gihard Visagie, second row Tiaan de Klerk, flyhalf Tiaan Swanepoel, and midfielder Jay-Cee Nel. All play professionally outside of Namibia.

The final World Cup squad of 33 players will be announced on August 14, with the final tune-up before the tournament against the Blue Bulls in Windhoek on August 26. Three days later the team will depart for France. Namibia have been drawn in Pool A along with New Zealand, France, Italy, and Uruguay.

NAMIBIA ROSTER – SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Jason Benade (UNAM) 11 caps
Desiderius Sethie (UNAM) 15 caps
Haitembu Shikufa (Leopards, SA) uncapped

HOOKER
Louis van der Westhuizen (Cheetahs, SA) 27 caps
Torsten van Jaarsveld (Bayonne, FR) 19 caps
Gihard Visagie (Nantes, FR) uncapped

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Herman Agenbag (Dallas Jackals, US) uncapped
Aranos Coetzee (Cheetahs, SA) 28 caps
Casper Viviers (La Baule, FR) 39 caps

SECOND ROW
Tiaan de Klerk (Mogliano, IT) uncapped
Adriaan Ludick (Limoges, FR) 7 caps
Ruan Ludick (Drancy, FR) 23 caps
Mahepisa Tjeriko (UNAM) 11 caps
Tjiuee Uanivi (Montauban, FR) 33 caps
PJ van Lill (Capbreton Hossegor, FR) 59 caps

BACK ROW
Adriaan Booysen (Dallas Jackals, US) 24 caps
Wian Conradie (New England Free Jacks, US) 26 caps
Prince Gaoseb (Tel Aviv Heat, IL) 10 caps
Richard Hardwick (Melbourne Rebels, AU) 1 cap
Max Katjijeko (Tel Aviv Heat, IL) 20 caps
Johan Luttig (Grootfontein) 1 cap
Johan Retief (Griquas, SA) 19 caps

SCRUMHALF
TC Kisting (Dinamo, RO) 18 caps
Damian Stevens (NOLA Gold, US) 34 caps
Jacques Theron (Wanderers) 1 cap

FLYHALF
Tiaan Swanepoel (Lions, SA) uncapped
André van der Berg (Wanderers) 2 caps

MIDFIELD
Danco Burger (Wanderers) 3 caps
Johan Deysel (Colomiers, FR) 33 caps
Le Roux Malan (New England Free Jacks, US) 2 caps
Jay-Cee Nel (Griquas, SA) uncapped

OUTSIDE BACKS
JC Greyling (Wanderers) 40 caps
Gerswin Mouton (Wits University, SA) 2 caps
Chad Plato (Kudus) 4 caps
Divan Rossouw (Lions, SA) 4 caps

NAMIBIA – RUGBY WORLD CUP WARM-UP FIXTURES

Jul 29   vs (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, UY)

Aug 05 vs (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, UY)

Aug 12 vs (Estadio Elías Figueroa, Valparaíso, CL)