NamibiaSport

Janee Karuaihe

Namibia’s U19 rugby team was welcomed back as heroes in Windhoek on Wednesday after they won the Confederation of African Rugby Junior Cup in Tunisia last Saturday.



Namibia beat Zimbabwe 16-13 in the final to qualify for Rugby Junior World Cup for the second year in a row.

At a press conference at the Namibia Rugby Union’s head quarters, the NRU president Dirk Conradie said he was very proud of the team for their remarkable achievement against all odds.

“Today is a very joyful day for me. Before the team left I decided that we would take any money we could find to make sure that this team participate and I want to thank MTC for their support,” he said.

The main sponsor of Namibian rugby, MTC donated N$350 000 to ensure the team’s participation at the CAR Cup.

Conradie appeals for support

The press conference was attended by the Depurty Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture Pohamba Shifeta and Albertus Aochamub, General Manager Corporate Affairs of MTC. Conradie made an impassioned plea to Shifeta for more financial support.

“This is the seventh time that we have qualified for the Junior World Cup. Rugby is putting Namibia on the world stage. You want trophies – here it is, but we need more help to prepare for the 2011 World Cup. We don’t want what happened in Beijing to happen to us. I want to budget for the 2011 World Cup now, because many of these players will be in that team and I want the Namibia Sport Commission to start putting their money where their mouths are.”

“Minister Shifeta, I am telling you, not asking you, that you will make money available for this team to prepare for 2011. Please do not destroy our strategic plan and please help us,” Conradie said.

“These players are African champions. We are the only sport code in Namibia that has gone to three World Cups and qualified for seven junior World Cups,” he added.

Aochamub confirms MTC’s support

Aochamub congratulated the team on its performance, saying that MTC would continue supporting them.

“MTC spends about N$10 million on sport every year. We are always reading about infighting and defeats on our sport pages, but these players have given us a positive story to tell. MTC wants to be associated with winners. We can now hold our heads high and look forward to 2009 when they will compete against the best in the world,” he said.

“Our poor performance in Beijing comes as no surprise. We cannot expect miracles or medals when the government or the private sector does not provide enough resources to support our athletes. This is about protecting our national interest and I guarantee you that when we see this type of progress, we will always do our best to provide support,” he said.

Shifeta looking to change Sport Act

Deputy Minister Shifeta congratulated the players for making Namibia proud, and also singled out the contributions of the coach John Williams and his technical staff and the team’s management. He said that the team should start preparing immediately for the 2009 Junior World Cup and hinted that the government would look at ways to support them.

“We must start preparing now and we don’t want a shot gun approach where codes come and ask for money at the last minute. Our sport policy has been in existence since Independence and is outdated. It needs to be adapted at least every ten years. We will do our utmost to ensure that it is done,” he said.