TOKYO, 20 Sep - Second-row Tjiuee Uanivi will captain Namibia in their Pool B match against Italy at Hanazono Rugby Stadium on Sunday, 22 September.
Announcing his team on Friday, Welwitschias' coach Phil Davies named the 28-year-old, above, right, to lead his team, with Johan Deysel missing out.
Scrum-half Eugene Jantjies will play in his fourth Rugby World Cup should he come off the bench and extend the Welwitschias' all-time appearances record to 67.
Lesley Klim is facing a fitness test on Saturday morning for a calf injury. If he does not pass that, PJ Walters is on standby to replace him.
- Jantjies is the first Namibia player to go to his fourth Rugby World Cup. Before RWC 2019, he was one of eight Welwitschias who had been to three.
- Rohan Kitshoff, PJ Van Lill and Darryl De La Harpe are all starting and will be appearing in a third World Cup.
- Thirteen players in Namibia's match-day 23 were also part of their match-day squad in their most recent World Cup match, a 64-19 defeat against Argentina on 11 October 2015.
- Cliven Loubser's 167 test points (4T 54C 13P) already rank fourth in Namibia test history behind Theuns Kotzé (430), Jaco Coetzee (335) and Chrysander Botha (215).
- Tjiuee Uanivi will captain Namibia for the first time since 16 July, 2016.
Namibia
- Andre Rademeyer
- Torsten George Van Jaarsveld
- Johannes Coetzee
- PJ Van Lill
- Tjiuee Uanivi (capt.)
- Rohan Kitshoff
- Wian Conradie
- Janco Venter
- Damian Stevens
- Cliven Loubser
- JC Greyling
- Darryl De La Harpe
- Justin Newman
- Chad Plato
- Johan Tromp
- Louis van der Westhuizen
- AJ De Klerk
- Nelius Theron
- Johan Retief
- Max Katjijeko
- Eugene Jantjies
- Helarius Axasman Kisting
- Lesley Klim
RNS pp/bdj/sw