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IRB U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

News

Namibia are U19 Africa champs

Friday 27th July 2007

Namibia had a narrow win over Zimbabwe to win the Conference of African Rugby's Under-19 Trophy in Kampala on Thursday.

It took a soaring dropped goal a minute from time to clinch the victory for the Namibians.

This overturns last year's result in Casablanca when Zimbabwe won the Under-18 championship, beating and Morocco in the final, and thus qualified for this year's IRB World Championship in Belfast. At this year's Craven Week Zimbabwe beat Namibia 22-18.

Victory in this Kampala tournament means that Namibia will be the Africa representatives at the 2008 Under-20 World Championship - U20 for the first time.

With the score all tied at 20-20 in the 69th minute the lanky fly-half Hermann Rust took a gamble with a superb drop-goal attempt which sailed over sending the Namibians in a frenzy.

Zimbabwe had been the dominant side with 15-5 lead at half-time. Flyhalf Tachafera Mukwanya's five penalties and try by Andrew McLean to a try by full-back Llewellyn Koopman extended the lead to 20-8 in the 47th minute and had seemingly made the game safe for the losers. But a try in 57th minute by centre Lezhanne Alcock for Namibia and a penalty try in the 65th minute suddenly brought Namibia back in the game. Then the drop-goal happened, sending the Zimbabwe youngsters into gloom.

In the first game, Tunisia forgot their previous decimal performance and taught the ill-disciplined Moroccans a rugby lesson. Tunisia emerged victors 25-6. Half-time score 8-6 for Tunisia.

CAR Under-19 Championship

Group 1

Results:

Day One
Namibia vs Morocco, 8-8
Zimbabwe vs Tunisia, 14-10

Day Two
Namibia vs Tunisia, 24-10
Zimbabwe vs Morocco, 17-7

Day Three
Namibia vs Zimbabwe, 23-20
Tunisia vs Morocco, 25-6

Final standings:

1. Namibia - 11 points
2. Zimbabwe - 9 points
3. Tunisia - 6 points
4. Morocco - 2 points

Namibia and Zimbabwe each earned a bonus point, Tunisia two bonus points.