Namibia aims to surprise Fiji

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Posted: Thursday September 30, 1999 04:19 PM

Brive center Tabai Matson is ruled out for the match because of a calf injury. David Rogers/Allsport

BEZIERS, France (AP) -- Fiji won't know what to expect from its first World Cup opponent -- but is determined not to let that get in the way of victory against minnow Namibia on Friday.

“We don't know anything about Namibia and have never seen them play,” Fiji's New Zealand-born coach Brad Johnstone told The Associated Press. “But we are very aware that every team here will be really fired up.”

A quarterfinalist in the inaugural World Cup of 1987, Fiji is firm favorite to beat Namibia in the opening match of Group C, which also includes France and Canada.

But the South Pacific nation will guard against complacency when it faces determined, if inexperienced, opponents.

Fiji's World Cup preparations have been far from perfect.

Short of cash, the team needed to raise money from the public to fund its long trip to Europe.

When he arrived in France, Johnstone was angered that the host nation had failed to provide his team with a scrum machine at its training camp.

And one of its key players, Brive center Tabai Matson, is ruled out because of a calf injury.

Namibia, which ousted Cote D'Ivoire, Tunisia and Zimbabwe to qualify for its first World Cup finals, is at full strength but will probably spend most of the match scrambling to avoid a heavy defeat.

With only 900 players in the entire country -- compared to 55,000 in rugby-mad Fiji coach Rudy Joubert could ill-afford the disputes over the racial make-up of the team that marred World Cup preparations.

A recent defeat against a South African Under-21 team was another indicator of Namibia's modest standard.

But the team is determined to rid itself of the tag of weakest team in the tournament.

“Glovin van Wyk at full back has speed and our wingers are strong and full of confidence under a high ball,” South African-born Joubert told The AP. “Our technique is quite good and our scrumming will surprise a few people.

“There is a lot of excitement and expectation back in Namibia for this tournament. It is the biggest thing ever to happen to rugby in Namibia and we are better prepared than ever before,” he said.

Both coaches said that the key to the match will be the battle among the forwards.

“We are known for grabbing the ball and running with it,” said Johnstone, whose main task has been to build on Fiji's excellence at rugby sevens. “But at this level, you can't do that any more.”

 

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