Namibians honing their craft in Varsity Cup

The numbers have been declining in recent years, but Namibia does have some upcoming rugby talent brewing in the current FNB Varsity Cup series in South Africa.A scan through the player squads of the eight universities shows at least five young Namibians included.The oldest of them is 23-year-old Oela Blaauw, who has been the starting full-back for the University of Johannesburg in this campaign. The former Namibia under-20 scrumhalf of 2021 and 2022 has also previously a member of UJ’s Varsity Cup squad and has occasionally been their place-kicker.Blaauw was uncapped for Namibia when Allister Coetzee selected him for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, where he made his debut appearance off the bench against the host nation, replacing Jacques Theron after 59 minutes. The Keetmanshoop-born player was also on Namibia’s tour to Uganda last July for the Rugby Africa Cup, which was the last of Coetzee’s era as coach.At the University of the Free State, lock Hendrik Johannes (HJ) de Beer is in his second season with their first team, the Shimlas. De Beer (now 21) was selected for Namibia U20 two years ago, but had to withdraw due to university commitments. The 116 kg, 1.95 metre player also did not get a playing opportunity in the 2024 Varsity Cup, but has been a regular starter for the Free State Cheetahs under-20 team.Tighthead prop Ian Klitzke (of Central University of Technology Ixias in Bloemfontein) and hooker Armand Combrinck (of University of Stellenbosch’s Maties) both played their first representative rugby for Namibia last year, when Coetzee took the under-20 team to the Rugby Africa Barthes Cup tournament in Harare, in which Zimbabwe achieved a dominant win in front of their home crowd.Klitzke played for Trustco United in the Namibia Rugby Union’s premier league last year and was called up for the national squad in the 2024 Rugby Africa Cup. Combrinck (Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale, SWD 2022 Craven Week) and Klitzke both made their test debut during the tour to Uganda.Combrinck was the starting hooker for unbeaten Maties in both their matches so far, including the opening round’s 41-37 home win against Shimlas in Stellenbosch, in which he scored a try. Last Monday Maties narrowly won 29-27 against the North West University Leopards at Potchefstroom – an occasion that drew the attention of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus who arrived in a helicopter before the kick-off.MidfielderThe centre Freddie Dreyer (20) is the second-youngest of the five after Combrinck, by a few months, and is a member of the Shimlas squad.Dreyer told Sport Wrap he attended Elnatan Private School during his primary career, where he gained selection for Namibia’s under-13 Craven Week team as a fly-half.“I got injured before the Hardap Region’s trials and therefore played in the Presidents XV at the national U13 trials. “I moved on to Boland Landbouskool for my secondary school career, where I played centre for the first team for three years, also gaining selection in my matric year (2022) to the Western Province U18 team that won the Craven Week final.“I obtained a bursary at the University of the Free State as well as a rugby contract offer from the Cheetahs. However, I had a shoulder operation during my last school year and again the year after, which meant that I didn’t play much rugby.“During 2024 I played almost every match in the Varsity Young Guns series, in which the UFS team finished in second position. I also played every match for the Cheetahs in the Under-20 Currie Cup.”&bull; The Varsity Cup, since its inaugural season in 2008, has been a solid developmental competition from which Namibia has drawn many players for its senior international fixtures over the years – including recent test captains Johan Deysel (NWU Pukke) and Danco Burger (Shimlas).TODAY’s FIXTURESShimla Park, Bloemfontein: UFS Shimlas v UJ, 16:45 (LIVE on SuperSport)Wits Stadium, Johannesburg: Wits v NWU Eagles, 19:00 (LIVE on SuperSport)Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch: Maties v CUT Ixias, 19:00Green Mile Stadium, Cape Town: UCT Ikeys v UP-Tuks, 19:00

Namibians honing their craft in Varsity Cup

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