Staff Reporter
THE Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) announced the final 30-man squad for the upcoming 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifiers, set to take place in Dubai from 8 to 18 November.
The final selection, trimmed from an initial 36-man training group, consists of 17 forwards and 13 backs, supported by a 12-member management team.
Director of Rugby Jacques Burger, sharing a video on the Namibia Rugby Union Facebook page, said the selection process was challenging due to the high level of competition among players and several key injuries.
“Picking this 30-man squad was not easy. Many players put their hands up, and there were several factors we considered,” Burger said. “We looked at work ethic, conditioning—which is crucial to play at the pace these teams will bring—and attitude. We wanted coachable players with humility and strong team spirit.”
Burger confirmed that five key players were ruled out due to injuries and suspensions, including Tiaan Swanepoel (hip injury), Gershwin Mouton (knee injury), Le Roux Malan (cheekbone fracture), Oliver Kurz (shoulder injury), and Richard Hardwick, who is serving a suspension in the French League.
“We had to take all these factors into consideration to give ourselves the best possible chance to qualify for the World Cup,” Burger added.
Final 30-Man Squad
Forwards:
Adriaan Booysen, Adriaan Ludick, Armand Combrinck, Gianluca Savoldelli, Haitembu Lazarus Shikufa, Johan Luttig, Johan Retief, Johannes Coetzee, Joshua Bester, Louis van der Westhuizen, Muharua Wilhelm Katjijeko, Otja Auala, Prince !Gaoseb, Riaan Grove, Tiaan de Klerk, Torsten van Jaarsveld, and Wian Conradie.
Backs:
Andre van der Berg, Andrew Kearns, Aston Mukwiilongo, Cliven Loubser, Danco Burger, Danie van der Merwe, Divan Rossouw, Helarius Axasman Kisting, Jacques Theron, Jay Cee Nel, JC Greyling, Johan Deysel, and Jurgen Meyer.
Management Team
Jacques Burger – Director of Rugby, Pieter Rossouw – Head Coach, Rohan Kitshoff – Forward Coach, David Philander – Backline Coach, Jaco Engels – Scrum Coach, Darryl de la Harpe – Skills Consultant, Sergio de la Harpe – Lead Strength and Conditioning, Tanya Green – Lead Physio, Wilfred Bezuidenhoudt – Team Doctor, Tersia Venter – Team Manager, Devon O’Brien – Video Analyst and Zandrea Strauss – Media & Communications
