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Namibia win Rugby Africa Gold Cup to secure World Cup berth

Veteran Namibia fullback Chrysander Botha and Louis van der Westhuizen each scored two tries as the Welwitschias sealed a sixth successive qualification for the Rugby World Cup with a 53-28 victory over Kenya at the Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium on Saturday.

Fly-half Cliven Loubser also scored a try in his match haul of 22 points, as Namibia posted seven five-pointers in what was a winner-takes-all fixture for the Rugby Africa Gold Cup title and World Cup qualification.

Centre Darryl de la Harpe and lock Mahepisa Tjeriko also scored tries for Namibia, while Kenya conceded a penalty try.

The Southern African side, coached by former Wales international Phil Davies, will play alongside world champions New Zealand, South Africa and Italy in Pool B at the finals in Japan next year, with the winner of the repechage competition to complete the group.

Kenya will get the chance to join them in Pool B when they contest the four-team global repechage in Marseille in November. Canada, Germany and Hong Kong will also contest the repechare. Kenya have never previously appeared at a Rugby World Cup.

Sevens stalwart Willy Ambaka scored two tries for Kenya having made his Test debut earlier this month, against Tunisia, with lock Malcolm Onsando and scrum-half Mohammed Omollo also crossing the line.

Namibia have now appeared at every World Cup since making their debut in 1999, though their 19 matches at the finals have all ended in defeat with more than 1000 points conceded.

The final round of matches in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup saw Tunisia defeat Morocco 36-13 in Monastir and Zimbabwe beat Uganda 38-13 in Kampala, results that saw Morocco relegated to the Silver Cup competition for 2019.