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MARSEILLE - Namibia turned their focus following their 63-3 defeat by Argentina to trying to win their first ever match at the World Cup against Georgia in Lens on Wednesday.
The African minnows battled gamely for the first 25 minutes of the match at the Stade Velodrome here
on Saturday but the Pumas proved far too strong in the forwards and ran out easy nine-try victors as the defence wilted.
It was Namibia's third straight loss in this World Cup, following defeats to Ireland (32-17) and France (87-10), and their tenth consecutive World Cup loss.
But coach Hakkies Husselman said the focus of his team, picked from just 1,500 senior players, would now turn directly to attempting to secure a win against the Georgians, themselves losers to France (33-3) and Ireland (14-10).
"We will pick a different side for Georgia," admitted Husselman. "It's difficult to play three big games in a row and the last one four days later, but the guys are prepared for that."
The country of Namibia only won independence in 1990, but for the lowest-ranked team at this World Cup (25th) it is their third successive tournament, an admirable achievement for a nation of just over two million people and less than 1,500 adult players.
But only seven of the 30-man Namibian squad in France are professional. The rest work and then train for an hour every morning and two hours every night, and the difference in class between them and the Pumas was glaringly obvious.
"We knew all along that the three matches would be tough, they're all Test-playing countries," said captain Corne Powell.
"We said from the start that we were going to try and get a result in the three matches but that Georgia was our big target for our first World Cup win.
"Argentina are a very good team, there's a reason they're top of the pool.
"We'll go away and work hard. It's important we get a good result against Georgia on Wednesday."
Powell said that his team had been pleased with their first-half showing, during which Argentina's backs had been forced into a number of ball-handling errors.
"Even at half-time, with the score at 25-3, we still thought we were in the game," he said.
"Most of their points were from our mistakes, kicks out on the full, or kicks that didn't make touch and were counter-attacked back.
"Unfortunately we couldn't get our hands on the ball in the second-half. We ran out of defenders in the end."
Husselman, who played scrum-half for Namibia against Argentina in the last World Cup in 2003, agreed, saying the Pumas looked set for a semi-final spot.
"Argentina are a very physical side," said Husselman, adding that this Pumas side were much better than the one he had faced.
"This team is much better coached team now. They have much more mature players, much more evolved.
"They controlled, put pressure on and knew how to do things. When playing big teams, you have to have this sense."
- AFP
