Montego United head coach Herman Lintvelt believes the future of Namibian rugby is promising, but says greater international exposure is essential if the country is to unlock the full potential of its players.

Speaking about the state of the game, Lintvelt said Namibia possesses the talent needed to compete at a higher level, but stressed that regular matches against stronger opposition are crucial for player development.

“It’s a difficult question, but I think the future is bright,” Lintvelt said.

He noted that while recent fixtures against visiting teams such as Zambia and South Africa’s Blue Bulls provided valuable experience, they were not enough to sustain long-term growth. “The main concern for me is that if we want to make our players better, we have to give them exposure at a higher level than this type of rugby,” he said.

Lintvelt believes national team players and emerging youngsters would benefit significantly from more frequent international competition, allowing them to test themselves against stronger opponents before bringing that experience back to their clubs.

“There have to be more international games for the national team. Those guys, together with our young players, need that exposure. Once they get it, they bring what they’ve learned back to club rugby,” he explained.

He added that the foundation for success already exists, with Namibia continuing to produce talented players capable of competing beyond its borders. “We’ve got the talent. We just need to get them matches at a higher level,” Lintvelt said.

His comments echo the views of many within Namibian rugby, who believe increased international competition and regular high-performance opportunities are vital to raising standards at both club and national level, while preparing the next generation of players to compete on the continental and global stage.