INTERNATIONAL RUGBY MATCH: IRB Nations Cup

11.06.2010
Namibia v Romania

Venue: Bucharest

Referee:

Preview
Namibia return to this competition, having last played in 2007. They are without two key players, unavailable, in Kees Lensing and Hugo Horn. There is a smattering of South African or European based players. This is an important tournament for Namibia, a year out from the Rugby World Cup finals. They also have an Africa Cup competition to take part in over the next two months after this event.

I cannot find any team list for Romania. I suspect it will be a similar squad to that which easily accounted for the Ukraine in its last two test matches. I expect the Romanians, even if not at full strength, will be too powerful up front for the Namibians.

Previous Encounters
16.06.2007 Romania 28-16 in Bucharest (IRB Nations Cup)
30.10.2003 Romania 37-7 in Luanceston (World Cup, Pool A)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-Romania 18th, Namibia 20th
IRB Ranking-Romania 18th (67.10), Namibia 22nd (58.98)

Prediction: Romania by 19 points

Teams

Namibia Squad
Johan Adriaanse (Mariental) *
Heini Bock (Reho Falcons)
Jacky Bock (reho Falcons)
Chrysander Botha (Kurdus)
Jacques Burger (Saracens, England)
Colin de Koe (Reho Falcons)
Darryl de la Harpe (Western Suburbs)
Sergio de la Harpe (Western Suburbs) *
Tinus du Plessis (English Club)
Jane du Toit
Nico Esterhuizen (Boland, South Africa)
Shaun Esterhuizen (United)
Eugene Jantjies (Western Suburbs)
Uakazuvara Kazombiaze (Reho Falcons)
Heinz Koll (Wanderers)
Justin Nel (Western Suburbs)
Virgil Ngongo
Jacques Niewenhuis (French Club)
Bertus O’Callaghan (Potchefstroom, South Africa) *
Mahco Prinsloo (Wanderers)
Johnny Redelinghuys (Wanderers)
P.J van Lill (Wanderers)
Piet van Zyl (Boland, South Africa)
Ronald Van Zyl
Marius Visser (Border, South Africa)
Godwin Walters (Western Suburbs)
McGrath van Wyk (Western Suburbs)
Wally Winckler (Stellenbosh Univ, South Africa)
Head Coach: Johan Diergaardt

* New caps

Changes from Original selection
Andre Schlecter (Free State Cheetahs, South Africa) *-Not released
Henk Franken *-No passport!

Not Available
Kees Lensing-wife expecting baby
Hugo Horn-Work commitments

Romania
Team list at present not available