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Burger replaces injured Malan in much-changed Namibia side / Photo: © AFP
Burger replaces injured Malan in much-changed Namibia side
Centre Danco Burger replaced the injured Le Roux Malan in one of nine changes to the Namibia side named by head coach Allister Coetzee on Thursday to face hosts France at the Rugby World Cup this week.
Malan suffered a fracture and dislocation to his right ankle in last Friday's heavy loss to New Zealand.
The match was delayed for several minutes as Malan received on-pitch treatment in Toulouse.
Captain Johan Deysel, at outside centre, and wing Gerswin Mouton are among three backs to keep their spots for Thursday's game in Marseille, while the other, Cliven Loubser switches from full-back to fly-half.
Among the forwards to keep their places, Prince Gaoseb shifts across the backrow to No.8 while Johan Retief will pack down at openside flanker instead of lock. Johan 'Aranos' Coetzee keeps the tighthead prop shirt.
"It's important to give every player coming to a World Cup an opportunity to play," said the head coach.
After facing Les Bleus Namibia will end their Pool A campaign against Uruguay on September 27.
That match will offer them their best opportunity to earn their first ever World Cup victory.
Namibia, in their seventh World Cup, have lost all 24 previous matches.
The closest they have come to victory was a one-point defeat by Georgia in 2015.
"Our whole mindset was building towards the last game and see what the players can offer and get to our best possible team for the last game," said Coetzee.
Namibia conceded 123 points in their opening two pool matches against Italy (52-8) and New Zealand (71-3) but despite the risk of another heavy defeat on Thursday, captain Deysel insisted the team would play attacking rugby, looking for tries rather than kicking penalties.
"We're not going to reach anything if we kick for poles," he said about Namibia's approach to kickable penalties.
"We're going for touch and we're going to try to score tries. That's what rugby's about, that's the fun part of it and that's what the crowd likes.
"We'll certainly go for touch again, we won't back out."
Team (15-1)
Andre van der Berg; Gerswin Mouton, Johan Deysel (capt), Danco Burger, JC Greyling; Cliven Loubser, Jacques Theron; Prince Gaoseb, Johan Retief, Max Katjijeko; Adriaan Ludick, Mahepisa Tjeriko; Aranos Coetzee, Louis van der Westhuizen, Desiderius Sethie
Replacements: Obert Nortje, Jason Benade, Haitembu Shikufa, PJ Van Lill, Richard Hardwick, Oela Blaauw, Alcino Izaacs, Divan Rossouw
Coach: Allister Coetzee (RSA)
P. Rasmussen--BTZ
