(Reuters) – Namibia will field eight players who played in their last World Cup game and have included a former Wallaby in their line-up to face Italy in their opening Pool A game in Saint Etienne, France on Saturday.
Richard Hardwick, who has switched international allegiance from Australia, packs down at number eight in the team which Namibia named on Wednesday, 24 hours before the scheduled announcement.
Namibia are seeking their first World Cup finals victory in their seventh successive appearance at the tournament.
Coach Allister Coetzer’s bid to change that statistic relies on experience and he has kept faith with many of the side who were in Japan four years ago.
Centre Johan Deysel will captain the team. Winger JC Greyling, scrumhalf Damian Stevens, loose forwards Prince Gaoseb and Johan Retief, lock Tjiuee Uanivi, prop Aranos Coetzee and hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld all played in Namibia’s 71-9 defeat by New Zealand in Tokyo four years ago.
Greyling is looking to become the first Namibian player to score three Rugby World Cup tries.
Uncapped lock Tiaan de Klerk has been named among the replacements for the game at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Namibia lost 47-22 to Italy in their opening pool game in Japan four years ago.
Teams: 15-Divan Rossouw, 14-Gerswin Mouton, 13-Johan Deysel (capt.), 12-Danco Burger, 11-JC Greyling, 10-Tiaan Swanepoel, 9-Damian Stevens, 8-Richard Hardwick, 7-Johan Retief, 6-Wian Conradie, 5-Tjiuee Uanivi, 4-Adriaan Ludick, 3-Aranos Coetzee, 2-Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1-Desiderius Sethie.
Replacements: 16-Louis van der Westhuizen, 17-Jason Benade, 18-Casper Viviers, 19-Tiaan de Klerk, 20-Prince Gaoseb, 21-Jacques Theron, 22-Andre van der Berg, 23-Le Roux Malan.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson, editing by Ed Osmond)
