Namibia set for tough road to 2023 WC

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Namibia will be among the eight African teams taking part in a 10-day Rugby Africa Cup in France, which will double as the final round of 2023 World Cup qualifying for teams on the continent.

World Rugby confirmed that the Rugby Africa Cup 2022 will take place in France between 1-10 July. The tournament will be held at Stade Maurice-David in Aix-en-Province and Stade Pierre-Delort in Marseille.

Namibia, who are bidding to reach a seventh successive Rugby World Cup, are joined in the tournament by Senegal, Uganda and Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Kenya and Ivory Coast.

The winner of the eight-team knockout competition will book a return to France 14 months later as Africa 1 at the 2023 World Cup. The Africa 1 qualifier has been drawn in Pool A alongside New Zealand, hosts France, Italy and Uruguay.

Whoever finishes as runners-up following the much-anticipated Rugby Africa Cup 2022 final on 10 July will still have a chance of qualifying for RWC 2023 through the Final Qualification Tournament.

The winner of the quarter-final between Namibia and Burkina Faso will meet either Zimbabwe or Ivory Coast – who have appeared at three Rugby World Cups between them – in the semi-finals.

Either Senegal or Algeria will then play the winner of the quarter-final between Uganda and East Africa rivals Kenya for a place in the final.

Photo: Getty Images

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Dylan Jack