Namibia make changes for France

AUBAGNE – Namibia have made two changes to their team to play France in a World Cup Pool D match in Toulouse on Sunday.

Jurie van Tonder takes over from Eugene Jantjies at scrumhalf and Michael Mackenzie will start at blindside flanker in a reshuffled back row after Hendrik Senekal suffered a calf injury against Ireland. Herman Lintvelt comes on to the replacements’ bench in place of Mackenzie.Namibia opened their World Cup game with a spirited 32-17 loss to the Irish, confounding sceptics who had predicted they would be the whipping boys of the pool, the eponymous ‘Group of Death’ which also includes Argentina.”France will be much more physical,” coach Hakkies Husselman predicted of the French, who suffered a 17-12 upset in their opening match at the hands of Argentina.”The fact France have chosen Sebastien Chabbal as lock means he is a good runner with the ball.”They will carry the ball much better this time.I think ball presentation will be better.”We’re expecting them to get in our faces.Obviously we’ve been working on our defensive structures and the guys are ready for the game.”Husselman added that the strong Namibian defence would not come at the detriment of their exciting backs.”We will try to play more with the ball, and get quicker ball to the backs,” he promised.Winger Ryan Witbooi, man-of-the-match against Ireland after having had a hand in his side’s two tries, said the team were expecting a huge physical confrontation against France.”It’s not going to be an easy match.France will come out firing on all cylinders,” he said.”France will want to come out with a bang and try and put up a big score, especially playing in a rugby hot-bed like Toulouse.”But you can’t count the chickens before the eggs.We’re not there just to make up the numbers.”Second-row Uakazuvaka Kazombiaze added: “We will not under-estimate them.There’s no doubt France will come for us.”We have to be more physical and stronger than we were in Ireland.”Against Ireland, we lost although we played very well.We’ve got no points and are bottom of the pool.”We want to play rugby and try and change that.They will bring the game to us, there’s no doubting that, and we’ll take it back to them.”We’re not going to stand back.”Namibia (15-1) TC Losper; Ryan Witbooi, Bradley Langenhoven, Piet van Zyl, Heinrich Bock; Emile Wessels, Jurie van Tonder; Jacques Nieuwenhuis, Jacques Burger, Michael Mackenzie; Nico Esterhuize, Uakazuvaka Kazombiaze; Jane du Toit, Hugo Horn, Kees Lensing (capt).Replacements: Johannes Meyer, Johnny Redelinghuys, Herman Lintvelt, Tinus du Plessis, Eugene Jantjies, Lu-Wayne Botes, Melrick Africa.- Nampa-AFPHerman Lintvelt comes on to the replacements’ bench in place of Mackenzie.Namibia opened their World Cup game with a spirited 32-17 loss to the Irish, confounding sceptics who had predicted they would be the whipping boys of the pool, the eponymous ‘Group of Death’ which also includes Argentina.”France will be much more physical,” coach Hakkies Husselman predicted of the French, who suffered a 17-12 upset in their opening match at the hands of Argentina.”The fact France have chosen Sebastien Chabbal as lock means he is a good runner with the ball.”They will carry the ball much better this time.I think ball presentation will be better.”We’re expecting them to get in our faces.Obviously we’ve been working on our defensive structures and the guys are ready for the game.”Husselman added that the strong Namibian defence would not come at the detriment of their exciting backs.”We will try to play more with the ball, and get quicker ball to the backs,” he promised.Winger Ryan Witbooi, man-of-the-match against Ireland after having had a hand in his side’s two tries, said the team were expecting a huge physical confrontation against France.”It’s not going to be an easy match.France will come out firing on all cylinders,” he said.”France will want to come out with a bang and try and put up a big score, especially playing in a rugby hot-bed like Toulouse.”But you can’t count the chickens before the eggs.We’re not there just to make up the numbers.”Second-row Uakazuvaka Kazombiaze added: “We will not under-estimate them.There’s no doubt France will come for us.”We have to be more physical and stronger than we were in Ireland.”Against Ireland, we lost although we played very well.We’ve got no points and are bottom of the pool.”We want to play rugby and try and change that.They will bring the game to us, there’s no doubting that, and we’ll take it back to them.”We’re not going to stand back.”Namibia (15-1) TC Losper; Ryan Witbooi, Bradley Langenhoven, Piet van Zyl, Heinrich Bock; Emile Wessels, Jurie van Tonder; Jacques Nieuwenhuis, Jacques Burger, Michael Mackenzie; Nico Esterhuize, Uakazuvaka Kazombiaze; Jane du Toit, Hugo Horn, Kees Lensing (capt).Replacements: Johannes Meyer, Johnny Redelinghuys, Herman Lintvelt, Tinus du Plessis, Eugene Jantjies, Lu-Wayne Botes, Melrick Africa.- Nampa-AFP