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Major League Rugby fans will have added interest in watching Namibia’s Pool A encounter with New Zealand on Friday. Five players from the American professional competition will be suiting up for the Welwitschias against the All Blacks in Toulouse, four of them as starters.
Leading the way is NOLA scrumhalf Damian Stevens, who also wore the No9 shirt against the men in black in Tokyo four years ago. Dallas eightman Adriaan Booysen was on the bench that day, and will be again on Friday. Stevens started in Namibia’s defeat to Italy in Saint-Étienne last Saturday while Booysen was not in the match day squad.
Free Jacks back row Wian Conradie retains his spot on the flank, while clubmate Le Roux Malan is promoted to the starting lineup at inside center. Completing the MLR representation is Utah’s Cliven Loubser, who is selected at fullback for his first appearance of the tournament.
Kickoff on Friday is at 9pm local time, 3pm Eastern, noon Pacific.
NAMIBIA
1 Jason Benade, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 4 Johan Retief, 5 Tjiuee Uanivi, 6 Wian Conradie, 7 Prince Gaoseb, 8 Richard Hardwick, 9 Damian Stevens, 10 Tiaan Swanepoel, 11 Divan Rossouw, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Johan Deysel (capt.), 14 Gerswin Mouton, 15 Cliven Loubser
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Desiderius Sethie, 18 Haitembu Shikufa, 19 PJ van Lill, 20 Adriaan Booysen, 21 Max Katjijeko, 22 Jacques Theron, 23 JC Greyling
