2023 Rugby World Cup: what are Namibia's predictions?
by Yunchu Li | by Kevin Richard
2023 Rugby World Cup: what are Namibia's predictions?
As Namibia navigates through their fixtures, it is crucial to consider their historical performance and the strength of their opponents. While the odds may not heavily favour Namibia, surprises can and often do occur in rugby, and the underdogs will be motivated to prove themselves on the global stage. Namibia's Rugby World Cup journey has been marked by iconic moments, such as their narrow loss to Georgia in 2015, as well as challenging lows, including the record-breaking defeat against Australia in 2003. However, with iconic players like Jacques Burger and record-breaker Eugene Jantjies, Namibia's team carries experience and talent into the tournament.
Can Namibia break their World Cup duck?
Namibia have participated in six Rugby World Cup tournaments as an African representative. Their debut in the prestigious competition took place in 1999, and since then, they have qualified for the subsequent six tournaments. However, despite their consistent presence, Namibia's Rugby World Cup history is marked by a lack of victories, having played 22 matches without a win. While they have experienced some memorable moments, such as a close 16-17 loss against Georgia in 2015, they have also suffered heavy defeats, including an 87-0 loss to South Africa in 2011 and a record-breaking 142-0 defeat against Australia in 2003.
Namibia are currently ranked 21st in the World Rugby rankings, which is the second-lowest of any team competing in the competition, with only Chile holding a worse ranking of 22nd. The Namibians face a tough challenge in Pool A of the 2023 Rugby World Cup alongside the hosts France (ranked 2nd), New Zealand (ranked 3rd), Italy (ranked 14th), and Uruguay (ranked 17th). As an African representative, Namibia's qualification path to the tournament involved securing the Africa 1 spot, highlighting their improvement within the region and emerging as the second-best on the continent behind the Springboks. However, when compared to the other teams in the Pool, Namibia faces an uphill battle.
When analysing the Namibia rugby team's strengths and weaknesses, it becomes apparent that they face significant challenges when matched against the powerhouse teams in Group A of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. They are known for their hard-hitting tackles and competitive nature, while their forwards are adept at executing set-piece plays, particularly in the scrums and lineouts, and their focus on these areas will allow them to create scoring opportunities and disrupt their opponents' attacking strategies. However, one of Namibia's primary challenges lies in the depth and experience of their squad. Compared to the higher-ranked nations, Namibia lacks the depth of talent and international experience necessary to compete consistently at the highest level.
Rugby World Cup 2023 - Namibia fixtures:
- Saturday, 9 September 2023 - vs Italy – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne
- Friday, 15 September 2023 - vs New Zealand – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
- Thursday, 21 September 2023 - vs France – Stade Velodrome, Marseille
- Wednesday, 27 September 2023 - vs Uruguay – Parc OL, Lyon
You can keep up to date with all the Rugby World Cup live scores & results at SportyTrader.
What Bets to make on Namibia in the 2023 Rugby World Cup?
Let’s start with the basics. Given the current Rugby World Cup betting odds offered by leading bookmakers like Betway and William Hill, it is not recommended to place wagers on Namibia to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup just yet. As it stands, Namibia are currently showing up at massive odds of 1500.0 with Betway and 2000.0 with William Hill, indicating just how much of an underdog they are in the competition. These odds are likely to increase even further as the tournament approaches, especially when bigger teams finalise their squads. Other teams, such as Chile, Uruguay, and Portugal, are also showing up as huge outsiders, with none of them priced below odds of 1000.0.
New Zealand are the marginal favourites according to most bookmakers and can be found at odds in the region of 3.0 at Betway, which is among the highest you can find on the All Blacks at this moment. The hosts, France, are showing up as the favourites on some bookmakers, but on average, they are just behind the All Blacks at odds of 3.5 at William Hill.
Italy have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with their most notable improvements being made in defence. The Six Nations wooden spoon winners are currently returning 500.0 to win the tournament, according to the latest odds at Betway and 10Bet. As mentioned, Uruguay are also one of the ranked outsiders for the tournament and are priced at well over 1000.0 with most bookmakers.
Here are our Rugby World Cup 2023 predictions. And here our first betting tips for Namibia’s Pool A fixtures:
1. Namibia vs Italy - Saturday, 9 September 2023, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne
Namibia faces a tough challenge against Italy in their opening match. Italy, a well-established rugby nation, brings a combination of physicality and tactical play. Their defensive attributes have improved notably over the last year, as they showed at the Six Nations, and that will be their biggest strength in this competition. With a higher world ranking and greater experience, Italy is favoured to win this encounter.
Prediction: Bet on Handicap Market: Italy-12 to win at odds of 1.3 at Betway.
2. Namibia vs New Zealand - Friday, 15 September 2023, Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse:
Namibia then faces the three-time world champions, New Zealand, in what will likely be their most demanding match of the tournament. New Zealand is known for their exceptional skills, speed, and depth of talent. As one of the strongest teams in the competition and arguably the best from the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand is expected to dominate this fixture. Namibia will need to display extraordinary defensive resilience and capitalize on any opportunities to stay competitive.
Prediction: Bet on Handicap Market: New Zealand-25 to win
3. Namibia vs France - Thursday, 21 September 2023, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille:
Namibia's encounter with France presents another formidable challenge. As a powerhouse team in world rugby, France boasts skill, physicality, and tactical prowess. Playing on home soil, France will likely have strong support, which is always a huge advantage. Namibia are expected to suffer a big defeat in this one as well.
Prediction: Bet on the Handicap Market: France-15
4. Namibia vs Uruguay - Wednesday, 27 September 2023, Parc OL, Lyon:
Namibia's final match in the group stage is against Uruguay. This fixture could potentially be the most closely contested match for Namibia and their best chance of getting their first-ever Rugby World Cup win. However, Uruguay has shown significant growth in recent years and has proven to be a competitive team. While Namibia may have a chance to secure a victory, it will require disciplined execution and exploiting any weaknesses in Uruguay's game.
Prediction: Namibia to win. Alternatively, back the handicap market on Namibia if they are deemed as the underdogs.
SportyTrader’s Best Bet: New Zealand to win Pool A at odds of 2.0 at William Hill.
Did you Know?
- Namibia’s most successful year as a rugby-playing nation came in 1991 when they beat both Italy and Ireland twice each in the space of a month.
- Namibia's national rugby team, known as the Welwitschias, has participated in every Rugby World Cup since their debut in 1999.
- One of Namibia's most iconic rugby players is Jacques Burger. Burger captained the team in two Rugby World Cup tournaments (2011 and 2015) and is widely regarded as Namibia's most famous player, having ended his career at Saracens in the Aviva Premiership.
- Eugene Jantjies holds the record for the most Rugby World Cup appearances by a Namibian player. He represented Namibia in four consecutive tournaments (2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019) and has made a total of 14 appearances on the world's biggest rugby stage.
- While Namibia have faced challenges against stronger opponents, they have achieved notable successes within the African continent. Namibia have won the Africa Cup nine times, which is by far the most among any African side that has competed in the competition.
