2023-09-21 07:44:00
France meets Namibia, Thursday September 21 in Marseille (9 p.m., live on France 2), as part of the third day of the World Cup. For the occasion, the French executives will be lined up, with the return in particular of Cyril Baille and Jonathan Danty, recovered from their injury.
Hungry for more ????
The hosts to take on Namibia in Marseille#RWC2023 | #FRAvNAM | @FranceRugbypic.twitter.com/B8FJ9V8MHd
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 19, 2023
This match promises to be one of the most unbalanced of the tournament. Five figures about Namibia to show it.
►0, the total number of World Cup victories
Namibia has never won a single match in the World Cup, a competition it has played in seven consecutive times since 1999. It lost for the 23rd time against New Zealand (71-3). during this 2023 World Cup.
Its best result was a narrow defeat against Georgia (17-16) in 2015. The Namibians also drew against the Canadians (0-0) in 2019, but the match was not played. It was canceled due to the passage of Typhoon Hagibis in Japan and the score was established by the regulations.
Three times finalists, the French have won 38 matches in ten editions, for 15 defeats and 2 draws.
►6, players linked to France
Six members of the group of 33 Namibian players selected for the World Cup play or have played for French clubs: Torsten van Jaarsveld (ex-Bayonne), Tjiuee Uanivi (Montauban), Johan Deysel (ex-Colomiers), Adriaan Ludick (Limoges ), Casper Viviers (RC La Baule) and Pieter-Jan van Lill (Capbreton-Hossegor). The latter is playing his 4th World Cup, at 39 years old.
►21, its rank in the world rankings
Namibia is currently 21st in the rankings established by World Rugby, the international rugby federation. Among the 20 national teams involved in the 2023 World Cup, only Chile, 22nd, is less well placed.
Two better-ranked teams failed to qualify for this World Cup: the United States, 18th, and Spain, 20th. France is 3rd.
►142, points collected in 2003
Namibia holds the record for the largest gap recorded to date during a Rugby World Cup. She was beaten by Australia 142-0 during the 2003 World Cup, conceding 22 tries.
In 1995, the Japanese conceded more points (145) against the New Zealanders, but they managed to score 17. France, for its part, experienced its heaviest defeat against New Zealand in 2015 ( 62-13).
►5 975, the name of rugby graduates
A small country in terms of the number of its inhabitants (2.6 million), Namibia, independent since 1990, also has a small pool of rugby players. His federation had 5,975 in 2021, according to World Rugby. For comparison, the French Rugby Federation claims 265,035 members.
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