Sevens Team in Kenya

Rudi Bowe

The Namibian National Rugby Sevens Team is in Kenya to participate in the 22nd edition of the annual 2018 Safari Sevens rugby tournament from 9 to 11 November.

The participation of the team was made possible by the Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) as they sponsored the sevens team with an undisclosed sponsorship.
Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) president Corrie Mensah thanked the sponsor and said their decision to cover the whole trip shows the brewer is on the side of the athletes.
Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) president Corrie Mensah told the team they have an obligation to represent Namibia well and make the nation proud and that the Union trust that as a team they will bring back some pride and that the Union is looking forward to a great future for sevens rugby.
NBL managing director Wessie van der Westhuizen said “NBL always strives to support Namibian sport and add value to people’s lives.
Wessie mentioned that there are many differences in rugby, due to a strategy implemented that needs to be followed, but those differences can be fixed and when things don’t go the way they should, the athletes are suffering.
The captain of the side, Aurelio Plato, said they will perform to the best of their ability.
“In the previous tournament we didn’t do well, but this time around it’s different,” Plato said.
Twelve teams are expected to compete in the tournament: Namibia, Deejays, Shujaa and Morans (three teams from Kenya), Spain, Portugal, the Apache Sevens and the Red Wailers (British teams), the Samurai 7s from Japan, the Cobras from South Africa and teams from Uganda and Burkina Faso.
Namibia’s rugby sevens squad is: Aurelio Plato (captain), Daniel Bock (vice-captain), Lean Stoop, Paulus Hangula, Guiliano Lawrence, Dirk de Meyer, Nandivatu Karuuome, Tuna Amutenya, Carlton Stevens, Peter Diergaardt, Romanzo Cento and Nazume Swartz with Leslie Bougaard (coach), Ryno Visagie (team manager) and Wayne Damons (physiotherapist) as the management team.