Namibia qualified for their seventh successive Rugby World Cup finals, comprehensively beating Kenya 36-0 on Sunday in Aix-en-Provence, France to win the Rugby Africa Cup.
Namibia’s reward is a place in Pool A with hosts France, New Zealand, Italy and Uruguay at the tournament in September next year.
Flanker Wian Conradie, who plays his club rugby for the New England Free Jacks in the USA, scored a hat-trick of tries, and captain Johan Deysel the other in the final of the African qualifying tournament, played at the Stade Maurice David in the south of France.
Flyhalf Cliven Loubser added four penalties and a conversion, with substitute PW Steenkamp adding another conversion to deny Kenya a first ever qualification.
Deysel told Canal+ after the game: “We had a big build-up to this game. “We knew Kenya are always tough. We had to leave everything on the field today and we did it.
Namibia have competed at every World Cup since the 1999 tournament but lost all 22 matches they have played in the finals.
Undaunted by having to face France and New Zealand in the group stage, Namibia hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld told Canal+: “We’re not scared at all.
“It’s always an honour to play a World Cup, not every player plays at a World Cup.
“It’s a very high standard. It’s going to be hard but we’re going to work.”