Botha retains place for Namibia

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs back Chrysander Botha will line-up in a Namibia side that shows six changes for their latest Rugby World Cup encounter against Georgia at Sandy Park on Wednesday (8pm).

Recalled to the starting XV for last week's loss to Tonga, Botha has been retained at full-back by head coach Phil Davies, who has named not only the oldest Namibian team in RWC history, but also the most experienced with 398 test caps between them.

Changes for the African nation see Casper Viviers replaced by Johnny Redelinghuys at loosehead prop, PJ Van Lill comes into the second row in place of Jaco Venter and former Cornish All Blacks forward Tinus Du Plessis is handed the number seven shirt with Rohan Kitshoff dropping to the bench.

Behind the pack, Namibia - who have been preparing for their latest game at the University of St Mark and St John in Plymouth - have included Eugene Jantjies at scrum-half in place of Eneill Buitendag, Johan Deysel is dropped for Darryl De La Harpe in the centres, while David Philander comes in for try-scoring Johan Tromp on the wing.

Skipper Jacques Burger, who scored twice against Tonga, will equal Hugo Horn’s record of 11 appearances for Namibia in RWCs, while Johnny Redelinghuys will win his 50th cap, the first Namibian player to do so in test match history. Wian Conradie and Heinrich Smit will make their RWC debuts if used from the bench.

“Wian and Heinrich are both young players with huge potential and with our legacy programme in mind it was our plan from the outset to give all 31 players an opportunity. It’s about the here and the now, to perform well and look for that first win, but we also have an overflow plan building towards the next Rugby World Cup,” said Davies.

NAMIBIA

1. Johnny Redelinghuys
2. Torsten Van Jaarsveld
3. Raoul Larson
4. PJ Van Lill
5. Tijuee Uanivi
6. Jacques Burger (capt)
7. Tinus Du Plessis
8. Renaldo Bothma
9. Eugene Jantjes
10. Theuns Kotze
11. Russel Van Wyk
12. Darryl De La Harpe
13. Danie Van Wyk
14. David Philander
15. Chrysander Botha

REPLACEMENTS

16. Louis van der Westhuizen
17. Jaco Engels
18. Johannes Coetzee
19. Wian Conradie
20. Rohan Kitsoff
21. Johan Tromp
22. Damian Stevens
23. Heinrich Smit