The beginning of the end of the most glorious pool stage in any Rugby World Cup to date begins tonight, as Argentina and Namibia face off in Leicester. Join The Roar for commentary, live scores and bad Jarryd Hayne jokes from 10:00pm (AEDT).
Argentina should easily account for a Namibia side that half consists of amateurs and semi-professionals who play locally.
Furthermore, the Africans’ talisman and captain Jacques Burger has been ruled out of this game with concussion. The 32-year-old backrower, who plays for Saracens as a day job, was to retire at the end of this World Cup regardless.
The Welwitschias (named after a native plant) can leave this World Cup with a pat on their backs despite losing all games so far. They went down to Tonga by just 14, and narrowly missed out to Georgia by 1.
On the upside, they scored against the reigning world champions (probably something even England couldn’t do), and gained their first ever World Cup point – a losing point to Georgia.
It’ll be sad to see Namibia, and indeed all the non-tier-one teams (except England) leave this tournament. Fingers crossed next time around – in Japan in 2019 – World Rugby can somehow scrounge up a few dollars and a bit of organisation to put together a William Webb-Ellis Vase.
Prediction
The previous two encounters between these teams at World Cups have an aggregate score of 130-17, so expect a dominant win from Maradona’s countrymen.
However, the growing evidence from this World Cup is that the so-called minnows are collectively competing above their label.
Argentina by 28 points.
DaniE
Roar Guru
Thanks Nick!
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining everyone! Appreciate the comments. Italy vs Romania is on next, that should be a great game and a lot deal closer than this one! See ya round the bend
Thanks Nicholas.
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
Rohan Kitsoff gives a very defiant post-match speech - "These Namibian boys have a lot of fight!!" he almost yells. The Africans get a big clap off the field. Martin Ladajo basically says "thanks for coming fans", that they'd like to play more expansively, and that they don't mind who they get in the quarters. Meanwhile, the Argentinian team are lapping up the crowd chants. Nice stuff to see, the South Americans are definitely bringing something interesting to this world cup. Dark horses lads, I'm repeating what people smarter than I have been saying for weeks
DaniE
Roar Guru
Vd Westhuizen apparently drives over 300km round trip to train - amazing dedication - love what these minnows bring to the cup, a whole lot of sincere participation, enjoyment and fun
Vic
Guest
Yes! Great finish for Namibia :)
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
FULLTIME! TRY!!! NAM (Jantjes) Ha, great stuff this. So Cubelli loses the ball after the scrum. The Namibians run it in their half, and they belt it down into the Argentinian 22m. The Argies try to run it, but the chasing Namibians manage to turn the tackle into a maul, and big lock Uanivi gets it out and plays an easy pass to Jantjes who runs it over the line. And a good bit of a fun, van der Westhuizen, the 50 cap hero and prop, is given the chance to convert the try. He punts and almost has the distance, but hits the pads on its way down. 12 tries this game, we have been blessed ARG 64 NAM 19
Beautiful end to the game, that last kick at goal just shows the enjoyment the "minnows" get from competing in the world cup. Well done on Namibia scoting three tries.
DaniE
Roar Guru
Wonderful for Jantjes and the Namibians!
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
79m The match is winding down, Cubelli kicks a box kick out, so Namibia have a scrum about 20m from their own line. They win it and try to attack but they just can't. They lose it forward so an Argie feed will probably end it. ARG 64 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
76m YELLOW CARD!!! NAM (du Plessis) du Plessis gets done for tackling Bosch in the air. Bosch doesn't look good, but du Plessis is a bit perplexed that he's been done, because he was looking at the ball the whole time. But then again he did pull Bosch down. Martin Johnson doesn't like what he sees either ARG 64 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
73m TRY!!! ARG (Cubelli) Jeez, it's like sevens at the moment, loads of popped over balls, intercepts and small rucks. Anyway, Argentina have scored another try. ARG 64 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
71m Namibia have a lineout in the Argie 22m, because Argentina brought it back in and kicked it out on the full. However, they lose the pill forward two rucks later, so Argentinian feed on their 22m. ARG 57 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
69m TRY!!! ARG (Montoya) Copy and paste. Argie scythe right through a tiring Namibia defence, going right and left, with plenty of Kepus (one-handed flick passes), with their hooker Montoya finishing the business on the left wing ARG 57 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
66m TRY??? ARG (Imhoff) Wowee. A carbon copy of the try before. From inside their own half, the Argies 1-2 pass it left and in the midfield, around the Namibians. Brilliantly includes and one-handed pass around a defender, from a forward. BUT, there's a forward pass in it, so it's been called off. Namibian scrum about 40m out. ARG 50 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
65m TRY!!! ARG (Senatore) Wowee. From inside their own half, the Argies 1-2 pass it left and in the midfield, around the Namibians. Quite a nice try. The commentators call it the try of the game, but the first Namibian one was better. ARG 50 NAM 14
Vic
Guest
Powerplay - I like that
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
62m Namibia have it now in a dangerous position in the Argie half, but lose it to a turnover 5m from paradise. They had because, while they got monstered off their own scrum, the Argies didn't release. Argentina, after turning over, easily make it inside the Namibian half. Both teams looking tired now ARG 43 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
57m Somehow, Gauzere has missed an Argie forward pass and knock on, and has instead awarded an Argie feed for a Namibia knock on. 5 mins into their powerplay, and Namibia haven't scored a point. ARG 43 NAM 14
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
56m Namibia have a lineout 5m from the line, but despite many exciting looping passes and that, they pass it out wide to no one, and Argentina picks it up and makes 50m easily before they run it out. Anyway, after a forward pass from Namibia, there's a scrum on the right side, at about halfway. ARG 43 NAM 14