Rugby union in Namibia
Encyclopedia
Rugby union
is a popular team sport played in Namibia
, and its predecessor province of South West Africa
. Because Namibia was formerly ruled by South Africa
, rugby in Namibia was frequently influenced by events in that country, and its domestic competition.
(IRB).
Before independence in 1990, the governing body was the South African Rugby Board
. Earlier SAn bodies operating in South West Africa, from 1916 to 1990 were the South Africa Rugby Football Board (for whites only) founded in 1889 and the South Africa Coloured Rugby Board, founded in 1896.
, South Africa, being a member of the British Commonwealth
and a former British colony, occupied the German colony of South-West Africa, later to be known as Namibia.
It is believed that Namibian rugby began in 1916 when it was introduced by migrants from South Africa. Because of this, and the fact that Namibia was ruled by the country for so long, it can therefore be considered one of several countries within South African rugby's sphere of influence - including Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and Botswana.
The British and Irish Lions
played games in South West Africa on several occasions - in 1962
, 1968
, 1974
, and 1980
. Because South West Africa, was part of the South African polity, this meant that rugby there was tainted with the image of apartheid, and moreover, the independence of Namibia coincided with the period in which the Lions did not tour Africa, due to the controversy connected with this. When the Lions tours to SA resumed in 1997, they no longer played games against other African sides, as previously occurred.
From 1966 to 1988, the Namibian War of Independence
was in full swing with guerillas from the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) and others, fighting South African rule.
side, and defeated the touring Irish
in two tests. Phil Matthews' team was beaten 15-6 in the first test, and 26-15 in a match just two months before they started their 1991 Rugby World Cup
campaign. For the Irish to be caught unawares was hardly surprising - Namibia had previously languished in the B Division of South Africa's Currie Cup
, and only pulled away to become an independent nation in the 1980s. After independence, Namibia had to mostly make do with games against Zimbabwe
, most of which they won.
This did not, however, mean a total cessation of international tours to Namibia, for example Ireland toured Namibia in 1991
.
Namibian rugby still bears some similarities to its South African counterpart, using an aggressive, fast moving game, ideal for their arid conditions. There have been some attempts to remedy this, and the conscious effort to bring in black players has included caps for the likes of Eden Meyer. Big hard forwards such as Johann Barnard are complemented by fast running backs such as Henning Snyman, Gerhard Mans and Andre Snoop (who now plays rugby league
in England) It remains to be seen if Namibia can shake off its satellite image.
John Robbie
, former captain of Ireland and the British Lions
paid tribute to Namibia, saying,
The first major hitch in Namibia's rugby ambitions came in the qualifiers for the 1995 Rugby World Cup
when they were beaten 13-12 by the Côte d'Ivoire
(Ivory Coast), and drew 16-16 with Morocco
, which prevented them from entering the tournament. Namibia had rested several key players against Côte d' Ivoire in this game.
However, they seem to have learnt their lesson, and after the demise of Zimbabwe (who were invited to the original tournament
and qualified for the second one
), and the failure of Côte d'Ivoire to return, Namibia have been the consistent representatives of Africa beyond South Africa itself.
the sport is most popular among Afrikaans
speakers, but is also enjoyed by many English speaking white Namibians.
The sport is popular among school children, but the rugby union playing population in Namibia is still relatively small with only 19 clubs and around 1,100 registered senior players.
As a vast, sparsely populated country, with little infrastructure, players frequently have to travel huge distances to games. This is a common problem in many African countries, but one Namibia has dealt with better than most. Another unusual feature of Namibian rugby, is a high proportion of evangelical Christians
, who often hold prayer meetings before matches, and sometimes refuse to play on Sundays.
The Namibian national team
are commonly known as the Welwitschia
.
Until independence, players for Namibia were also eligible to represent South Africa with Namibian-born Springboks including Jan Ellis
and Percy Montgomery
(although in the latter case, his birthplace Walvis Bay
was an exclave of South Africa until 1994). Various players pursue their rugby careers in South Africa and in a number of European countries. Frik du Preez
, the South African player, also lived in the former SWA for a while.
Namibia's players are notable for their other professions. For example:
in Windhoek
. The home turf of the club is the Suburbs Park. Western Suburbs are the title holders of the 2008 MTC premier league and currently coached by Rodger Smith. The club's main sponsor is FNB Namibia from where it got its name.
gained its independence in 1990, the team, as South West Africa, played in South Africa
's Currie Cup
competition. Their best result was in 1989, where they finished third. They have won the B section Currie Cup in 1988, beating the well-known Western Province team.
) also joining the competition alongside Namibia in 2010.
on four occasions, in 1999
, 2003
, 2007
, and 2011
but has never won a game.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is a popular team sport played in Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, and its predecessor province of South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
. Because Namibia was formerly ruled by South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, rugby in Namibia was frequently influenced by events in that country, and its domestic competition.
Governing body
The Namibia Rugby Union are the governing body for rugby union in Namibia. The organisation was formed in March 1990, the same month that it joined the International Rugby BoardInternational Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
(IRB).
Before independence in 1990, the governing body was the South African Rugby Board
South African Rugby Board
The South African Rugby Board was the rugby union governing body of white South Africans between 1889 and 1992. The governing of white and coloured rugby union was handled separately during South Africa under Apartheid....
. Earlier SAn bodies operating in South West Africa, from 1916 to 1990 were the South Africa Rugby Football Board (for whites only) founded in 1889 and the South Africa Coloured Rugby Board, founded in 1896.
Pre-independence
In 1915, during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, South Africa, being a member of the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
and a former British colony, occupied the German colony of South-West Africa, later to be known as Namibia.
It is believed that Namibian rugby began in 1916 when it was introduced by migrants from South Africa. Because of this, and the fact that Namibia was ruled by the country for so long, it can therefore be considered one of several countries within South African rugby's sphere of influence - including Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and Botswana.
The British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
played games in South West Africa on several occasions - in 1962
1962 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1962 the British Lions rugby union team toured Southern and Eastern Africa. Overall the tourists played twenty-five matches, winning sixteen, losing five and drawing four....
, 1968
1968 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1968 the British Lions toured South Africa. The tour was not success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the test series against South Africa by three matches to nil, with the other match drawn. The Lions won 15 of their 16 non-international matches, losing only to Transvaal...
, 1974
1974 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1974 the British Lions toured South Africa, with matches in South West Africa and Rhodesia . The tour was a great success, the Lions winning 21 of their 22 matches and drawing the other. After winning the first three test matches, the Lions drew the final test to preserve their unbeaten record...
, and 1980
1980 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1980 the British Lions rugby union team toured South Africa . The tour was not a success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the first three tests before salvaging some pride with a win in the fourth...
. Because South West Africa, was part of the South African polity, this meant that rugby there was tainted with the image of apartheid, and moreover, the independence of Namibia coincided with the period in which the Lions did not tour Africa, due to the controversy connected with this. When the Lions tours to SA resumed in 1997, they no longer played games against other African sides, as previously occurred.
From 1966 to 1988, the Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
was in full swing with guerillas from the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) and others, fighting South African rule.
Post-independence
Namibia came to international attention in 1991, when they beat an up and coming ItalianItaly national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
side, and defeated the touring Irish
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
in two tests. Phil Matthews' team was beaten 15-6 in the first test, and 26-15 in a match just two months before they started their 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
campaign. For the Irish to be caught unawares was hardly surprising - Namibia had previously languished in the B Division of South Africa's Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
, and only pulled away to become an independent nation in the 1980s. After independence, Namibia had to mostly make do with games against Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe national rugby union team
The Zimbabwe national rugby union team is the rugby union team representing Zimbabwe. They are considered to be a third tier rugby union nation...
, most of which they won.
This did not, however, mean a total cessation of international tours to Namibia, for example Ireland toured Namibia in 1991
1991 Ireland rugby union tour of Namibia
1991 Ireland rugby union tour of Namibia. The Ireland national rugby union team made their first and, to date, only visit to Namibia in 1991. Richard Wallace made his full international debut in the first test game...
.
Namibian rugby still bears some similarities to its South African counterpart, using an aggressive, fast moving game, ideal for their arid conditions. There have been some attempts to remedy this, and the conscious effort to bring in black players has included caps for the likes of Eden Meyer. Big hard forwards such as Johann Barnard are complemented by fast running backs such as Henning Snyman, Gerhard Mans and Andre Snoop (who now plays rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in England) It remains to be seen if Namibia can shake off its satellite image.
John Robbie
John Robbie
John Cameron Robbie is a former international rugby union player. He went to The High School in Dublin, Ireland. He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Greystones RFC. He was later picked twice for the South African rugby team but...
, former captain of Ireland and the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
paid tribute to Namibia, saying,
- "Namibia could never be fancied to win the Currie Cup against big sides such as the TransvaalGolden LionsThe Golden Lions is a provincial rugby team based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The team was originally known as Transvaal, before changes to the political landscape in South Africa forced a name change to the Gauteng Lions, before again being changed to the Golden Lions. For sponsorship reason...
and Western ProvinceWestern Province (rugby team)DHL Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions and has the most supporters of any Currie Cup team...
, but none of the top side ever travel to WindhoekWindhoekWindhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
expecting anything but the hardest of matches."
The first major hitch in Namibia's rugby ambitions came in the qualifiers for the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
when they were beaten 13-12 by the Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national rugby union team
The Ivory Coast national rugby union team, nicknamed Les Éléphants, represents Côte d'Ivoire in rugby union. The team is recognised as Ivory Coast by the International Rugby Board...
(Ivory Coast), and drew 16-16 with Morocco
Morocco national rugby union team
The Morocco national rugby union team are a national sporting side, representing Morocco in rugby union. The team is also known as the Atlas Lions. Morocco is governed by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Rugby. Morocco competes in the Africa Cup annually. The team has won the competition in 2003...
, which prevented them from entering the tournament. Namibia had rested several key players against Côte d' Ivoire in this game.
However, they seem to have learnt their lesson, and after the demise of Zimbabwe (who were invited to the original tournament
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
and qualified for the second one
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
), and the failure of Côte d'Ivoire to return, Namibia have been the consistent representatives of Africa beyond South Africa itself.
Present
As in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
the sport is most popular among Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
speakers, but is also enjoyed by many English speaking white Namibians.
The sport is popular among school children, but the rugby union playing population in Namibia is still relatively small with only 19 clubs and around 1,100 registered senior players.
As a vast, sparsely populated country, with little infrastructure, players frequently have to travel huge distances to games. This is a common problem in many African countries, but one Namibia has dealt with better than most. Another unusual feature of Namibian rugby, is a high proportion of evangelical Christians
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
, who often hold prayer meetings before matches, and sometimes refuse to play on Sundays.
National team
Namibia national rugby union team
The Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
are commonly known as the Welwitschia
Welwitschia
Welwitschia is a monotypic genus of gymnosperm plant, composed solely of the very distinct Welwitschia mirabilis. The plant is commonly simply known as Welwitschia in English. It is known locally as !kharos or khurub , tweeblaarkanniedood , nyanka , or onyanga , among others...
.
Until independence, players for Namibia were also eligible to represent South Africa with Namibian-born Springboks including Jan Ellis
Jan Ellis
Jan Hendrik Ellis is a South African former rugby union rugby player, who played flanker. He played 38 times for the Springboks, which at that time was a record.-Biography:...
and Percy Montgomery
Percy Montgomery
Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...
(although in the latter case, his birthplace Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
was an exclave of South Africa until 1994). Various players pursue their rugby careers in South Africa and in a number of European countries. Frik du Preez
Frik du Preez
Frederik Christoffel Hendrik "Frik" du Preez is a former South African rugby union player who represented Northern Transvaal and the Springboks. He was born on a farm near Rustenburg and went to school at the Parys High School in Parys...
, the South African player, also lived in the former SWA for a while.
Namibia's players are notable for their other professions. For example:
- Rudi van VuurenRudi van VuurenDr Rudolph Jansen van Vuuren is a Physician by trade, former Namibian sportsman and committed conservationist....
is also a world cup cricketer for Namibia and a doctor. He is best known for representing his country in both the 2003 Cricket World Cup2003 Cricket World Cup-Group stage tables and results:The top three teams from each pool qualify for the next stage, carrying forward the points already scored against fellow qualifiers, plus a quarter of the points scored against the teams that failed to qualify.-Pool A:...
and the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup; as a result he became the first man to compete in the final stages of world-cup competitions in cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in the same year.
- Schalk van der Merwe also got some press attention as he is a part time animal tamer, and works regularly with lionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s.
- Bratley LangenhovenBratley LangenhovenBradley Langenhoven is a rugby union player who plays for Namibia. He plays as a wing or center.Langenhoven made his international debut against South Africa on August 15, 2007, in which he scored a try. Langenhoven was in the Namibian squad for the 2007 World Cup finals...
, who plays for German champions SC 1880 FrankfurtSC 1880 FrankfurtThe SC 1880 Frankfurt is a German rugby union club from Frankfurt am Main, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like lacrosse, tennis and field hockey....
- Marius VisserMarius VisserMarius Visser is a rugby union player for Namibia and the heaviest player at the 2007 Rugby World Cup at 140 kilograms...
, the heaviest player in the 2007 Rugby World Cup2007 Rugby World CupThe 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, at 140 kilogrammes.
FNB Western Suburbs
First National Bank (FNB) Western Suburbs was established in 1979; they celebrated their 30th anniversary on the weekend of 9 October 2009. The club is situated in the suburb of KhomasdalKhomasdal
Khomasdal is a suburb of Namibia's capital of Windhoek in the Khomas Region. Founded as Windhoek's residential area for Coloured people, Khomasdal still is primarily composed of Coloured people....
in Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
. The home turf of the club is the Suburbs Park. Western Suburbs are the title holders of the 2008 MTC premier league and currently coached by Rodger Smith. The club's main sponsor is FNB Namibia from where it got its name.
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces. Before NamibiaNamibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
gained its independence in 1990, the team, as South West Africa, played in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
competition. Their best result was in 1989, where they finished third. They have won the B section Currie Cup in 1988, beating the well-known Western Province team.
Vodacom Cup
Since 2010, a Namibian team called the Namibia Weltwitschias have been permanent part of the Vodacom Cup, the South African domestic level below the Currie Cup. The Vodacom Cup is primarily a developmental competition, as it runs alongside the Super Rugby season. It involves all 14 South African provincial unions, with a team from Argentina (Pampas XVPampas XV
Pampas XV is an Argentine rugby union team, currently playing in the South African domestic rugby union competition, the Vodacom Cup. The team was established in 2010 and is composed almost entirely by members of the High Performance Plan of the UAR....
) also joining the competition alongside Namibia in 2010.
MTC Premier League
The MTC Premier League is Namibias national rugby league and is contested by eight sides from all over Namibia. The current MTC Premier League teams for the 2011 season are:- Kudus
- Mariental
- Rehoboth
- Reho Falcon
- Unam
- United
- Wanderers
- Western Suburbs
Rugby World Cup
Namibia has made the World CupRugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
on four occasions, in 1999
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
, 2003
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, 2007
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, and 2011
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
but has never won a game.
See also
- Hage Geingob Rugby StadiumHage Geingob Rugby StadiumHage Geingob Rugby Stadium is a rugby and football stadium in Windhoek, Namibia. It is named after Hage Geingob, former Vice President of Namibia.-References:...
- Namibia national rugby union teamNamibia national rugby union teamThe Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
- Namibia Rugby UnionNamibia Rugby UnionNamibia Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Namibia.It was formed in March 1990, the same month that it joined the International Rugby Board....