Home » Namibia Secures Spot in Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan

Namibia Secures Spot in Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan

Namibians are celebrating tonight as its national rugby team – the Welwitschias – secured a coveted spot in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan! They will join South Africa in Pool B. The team played Kenya in Windhoek on Saturday during their final 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup clash… which was also a qualifier […]

By Jenni Baxter
18-08-18 23:15
in Africa

Namibians are celebrating tonight as its national rugby team – the Welwitschias – secured a coveted spot in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan! They will join South Africa in Pool B.

Namibia has beaten Kenya in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup to qualify for the Rugby World Cup in Japan. Photo supplied by APO

The team played Kenya in Windhoek on Saturday during their final 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup clash… which was also a qualifier for the World Cup.

This was the fifth Africa Gold Cup win, in a row, for the Welwitschias. The final score was 53-28.

Speaking to the media after the match Namibia’s Coach Phil Davies said he was pleased with his side: “We played well today, the team stuck to the game plan. This means a lot as we have been building a team since the last world cup. We have an average age of 24 years now compared to 31 at the previous tournament. We have depth now.”

Kenyan coach Ian Snook said his team played their hearts out. Kenya will get another chance to try secure a spot at the World Cup in November during the Repechage competition which also includes Canada, Hong Kong and Germany.

Abdelaziz Bougja, chairman of World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa, said: “Namibia has been impressive all along this competition and today the strongest team has won. Congratulations and I have no doubt that they will make us proud at the RWC 2019 in Japan. Well done as well to Kenya who kept going and played really well. I am very proud of our African teams and the progress they have made over recent years.”

According to Reuters, Namibia’s 19 previous matches at the World Cup have all ended in defeat though with more than 1,000 points conceded. Kenya have never qualified for the global finals before.

Rugby World Cup said: “Congratulations to @RugbyNamibia on their qualification to Rugby World Cup 2019. They join @AllBlacks , @Springboks, @Federugby (Italy) and the winner of the repechage (TBC) in Pool B.”

WATCH Match highlights, Namibia vs Kenya 2018