Brendan Gallagher: Vermeulen and Namibia, a tale of defiance and pure maths

If Namibia coach Danie Vermeulen could jump for joy he would have been in orbit last Sunday, instead he stayed very earthbound in his wheelchair as his team clinched the most mathematically unlikely World Cup qualification in Antananarivo.
Back in 2000, Vermeulen was going to be the next big thing in Namibian rugby, a powerful prop starring with the Cats in South Africa, a player who looked at home in the Super 12 who had also gained valuable experience in France with Dax before breaking into Namibia’s Test side.
But then fate took a hand and he was paralysed in a car crash and he set off on another path altogether which has seen him become Namibia’s top domestic coach before his appointment with the national team who were chasing their fifth consecutive World Cup qualification.
Needless to say he will be the first coach at any World Cup finals to fulfil his duties from a wheelchair on the touchline.
“It’s a challenge but once you make the big decision it’s really not that bad,” insists Vermeulen. “You have to get on with your life, that’s the first thing, and once you decide that there are all sorts of great things you can achieve and dreams to chase.
“My best bit of advice would be to stay patient, it can be difficult to start with but quickly gets better. As the boys get to know you and your ways you don’t have to dash around in your wheelchair so much trying to make your points and being in two places at the same time.
“I’ve also got two fantastic assistants which also helps and we have little walkie-talkies so I don’t always have to physically be in front of them for us to talk during a game and the preparations.
“I’ve been in a wheelchair so long now I hardly think about it but sometimes I unashamedly use my disability to my advantage. If one of the players complains of a bit of a niggle or strain or that he doesn’t feel that great I give him a bit of a look – he will look at me in my wheelchair – and he gets the message. Players can’t fool me!”
Vermeulen has fostered a great team spirit but that was fully tested in the African World Cup qualifying tournament in the Madagascan capital last week after it all seemed to be going badly pearshaped. Talisman Jacques Burger had to drop out to undergo shoulder surgery, a couple of key players Vermeulen wanted could not secure their release from their South African teams and then they lost 29-22 to an inspired Kenya side, a defeat that shook Namibia to the core.
Next up were old rivals Zimbabwe and Namibia found themselves 20-10 down early in the second half and staring at certain elimination when suddenly everything began to click and those big forwards started rumbling, heralding a
24-20 win which at least restored much self-respect following that first-ever loss to the Kenyans.
It still was not looking good, though, as they contemplated the final round of games. Kenya were clear on ten points, their opponents in the final game Zimbabwe had six while Namibia were on five. Madagascar, Namibia’s final opponents, were propping up the table with zero points.
“We were still down a bit after the Zimbabwe win because it seemed winning the pool was beyond us but everything looked a bit brighter the following morning. I definitely fancied Zimbabwe to beat Kenya but I thought it would be a fairly tight ‘cup final’ sort of a game.
“I didn’t think Zimbabwe would score the four tries they needed for the bonus point that would have ended our hopes but I also thought Kenya might just fail to get a losing bonus point. I said to the boys, ‘if you don’t believe in destiny start trying now because I believe this can, and will, happen’.
“That was the only combination of circumstances that could save us and it was incredibly tense as we watched that Kenya game against Zimbabwe, especially when Zimbabwe chose to go for goal with about eight minutes left rather than to go for the pushover try which would have given them four tries and done for us.
“Even when the final result came through we still had to win by 53 clear points but the boys were fully focused and eventually won 89-10. We played some of the best rugby we’ve seen from a Namibia side in a very long time in that first half against Madagascar to get the job done.”
Despite limited numbers, and even more parlous finance, good rugby players always emerge from Namibia, the problem is that they inevitably flee the nest and either ply their trade in distant parts of the world or get lost in the South African provincial system.

Of the current crop, captain and blindside flanker Rohan Kitshoff plays for Western Province, the versatile Renaldo Bothma – equally at home at No.8 or flanker – is rapidly making a name for himself at the Pumas and Tinus du Plessis is a World Cup veteran who has enjoyed spells with Rotherham and Wasps over here in England.
This Namibia team, though, potentially has a cutting edge behind which augers well. Wings Johan Deysel and Dave Philander play for the Leopards and Poverty Bay respectively and classy full-back Chrysander Botha has experience with Golden Lions. Add the remarkable Burger back into that mix and possibly a number of experienced players in South Africa who are on Vermeulen’s radar and Namibia have a strength in depth they have not possessed for a while
“I’m very proud of the team and there is still a big improvement to come from this group,” continues Vermeulen. “We are still lacking a few players and, hopefully, we can get them released from their provinces. There are quite a few good players in South Africa who are absolutely eligible for us including two currently starting for their teams in the Super 15 and one in the Currie Cup. We hope to convince them that Namibia is a good option and our guaranteed World Cup slot should help that process. At the same time they will always have to earn their place. We have a tight committed squad here and nobody will just walk in
“The preparation for that first game against New Zealand at Olympic Park starts now I suppose. We are not overawed, that is not our mentality. We might only have 1,500 senior rugby players but we’re a proud nation. It’s another huge challenge but we’ll meet it head on as we always do. We have 16 months to work on a lot of stuff; extra games will be arranged and with the help of the IRB we’ll nail down the release of all our players overseas.
“We were determined not to become the first Namibian team in five World Cups not to qualify and now we are determined to make an impact in England.”
*This article was published in The Rugby Paper on July 13