Rugby: Rugby-Namibia change seven as they seek elusive win against Uruguay

(Reuters) – Namibia have made seven changes to their starting line-up for their final Rugby World Cup Pool A match against Uruguay in Lyon on Wednesday, one of which has been forced through the absence of captain Johan Deysel.

Coach Allister Coetzee has long targeted this fixture as the one to break his team’s record run of 25 consecutive losses in the World Cup since they made their debut in 1999.

He will miss experienced centre Deysel, who was red-carded in the 96-0 loss to France last week for a dangerous tackle on Antoine Dupont, that earned him online abuse and for which he has apologised.

Deysel is to appear before an independent Judicial Committee hearing on Monday and has not been selected to face Uruguay.

Prop Johan Coetzee and wing Gerswin Mouton are therefore the only players to have started all four matches in France.

Alcino Izaacs takes over at outside centre from Deysel, and will form a midfield pairing with Danco Burger. Mouton and JC Greyling are the two wings.

Cliven Loubser moves from flyhalf to fullback in the place of Andre van den Berg as Tiaan Swanepoel returns to the number 10 jersey, while Damian Stevens comes in at scrumhalf.

Former Australia international Richard Hardwick is back at number eight as Prince Gaoseb moves to the flank, and Tjiuee Uanivi comes into the back row to captain the team in Deysel’s absence.

Tiaan De Klerk and Adriaan Ludick are the lock pairing, and hooker Torsten Van Jaarsveld is scrums down with props Coetzee and Jason Benade either side of him.

Namibia team: 1-Jason Benade, 2-Torsten Van Jaarsveld, 3-Johan Coetzee, 4-Adriaan Ludick, 5-Tiaan De Klerk, 6-Prince Gaoseb, 7-Tjiuee Uanivi (c), 8-Richard Hardwick, 9-Damian Stevens, 10-Tiaan Swanepoel, 11-JC Greyling, 12-Danco Burger, 13-Alcino Izaacs, 14-Gerswin Mouton, 15-Cliven Loubser

Replacements: 16-Louis van der Westhuizen, 17-Desiderius Sethie, 18-Haitembu Shifuka, 19-PJ Van Lill, 20-Max Katjijeko, 21-Adriaan Booysen, 22-Jacques Theron, 23-Andre van der Bergh.

(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Pritha Sarkar)