Wolfie Duvenhage is slowly waking from a Rugby World Cup dream.
The experience of playing on rugby’s biggest stage is just starting to sink in for the 24 year old Namibian flanker.
Playing against the World Champion Wallabies and global heavyweights Ireland and Argentina in front of packed stadiums seems far removed from his office in downtown Windhoek.
“I miss that feeling of being treated like a professional rugby player,” said the man who makes a living as a financial consultant.
“It’s been a lifetime dream to be part of the Rugby World Cup to say I’ve set foot on one of the those playing surfaces you see on television.
“The Australians were amazing, wherever we went the people were fantastic and even though we lost games by 60 and 70 points we were always treated with respect.”
Reality check
But reality bites, especially for a team of amateurs.
“Since we’ve been back guys have been trying to find their feet.
"The day after we landed some of the guys went straight back to work. Most of us have a lot of work to catch up on and family to catch up with. After being away for a month everyone wants to know how you are getting on.”
Despite not coming close to winning a game in Pool A - the ‘Pool of Death’ – the Namibian team have been treated like the conquering heroes upon return with players feted at special functions put on by their respective rugby clubs.
For the record Namibia had 310 points scored against them and 28 for in their four RWC 2003 matches.
On the face of it a slide from their performance in their first RWC in 1999 where the record was 3 for 144 against.
Realistic
Although disappointed with the result, Duvenhage said the team approached the Tournament realistic about what it could possibly achieve.
The nation has a tiny base of less than 1000 senior players and a total of eight first division clubs.
“What we said from the beginning was that we need to look at it realistically. Namibia are 25th in the world, and we played three teams in the top eight in the world, one of which was the World Champions.
“I think we failed in a sense. We had some big losses and we weren’t competitive enough. But at the end of the day the Tournament was fantastic for the development of our players.
"A lot of the guys got a few contacts in Australia with clubs so a few junior players might now have the opportunity to experience Australian rugby.”
Brighter future
With the bulk of the squad under 24, Duvenhage believes there is a nucleus to build towards 2007.
And he points to Japan as an example to motivate the team.
“Japan lost to the All Blacks 147-17 at the 1995 World Cup and were really competitive against some of the world’s top sides this year and who knows, maybe next time they will pull off a few wins.
We will look to that for inspiration.
"There are some excellent young players, some great talent in Namibia. The problem is we can’t give these guys the same sort of financial support they would get in the likes of (nearest neighbour) South Africa.”
Four of the 30 strong squad are professional players who ply their trade across the border in the Currie Cup, South Africa’s domestic competition.
Such is the impact their powerful neighbours have had on Namibian rugby, many Namibians support the Springboks ahead of their own national team.
Keep in the Cup
Whether or not they win any matches, it is vital Namibia continues to have a presence at the RWC to raise the game’s profile in a nation besotted with soccer, he said.
But, with the national soccer team not having much success qualifying for the four yearly showpiece in that sport, Duvenhage feels rugby can start to make some serious inroads.
Namibia have had more success at sevens than they have at the full version of the game.
For the second year in a row the national team have been invited to compete in the Dubai Sevens on the IRB Sevens circuit early next month.
Sadly, however, Duvenhage doubts whether a team will be able to be fielded such has been the commitment of players to attend the RWC.
“We would all love to go but we’ve just been away for a month. There’s no way I can get off (work) to go away again for another two weeks.”
The player will have to content himself with watching the Rugby World Cup finals being played out on the TV.
A prediction then?
“I believe it will be a New Zealand v France final, with New Zealand to do it."