Match Day Programme RWC: Uruguay vs. Namibia

Namibia make their final appearance of Rugby World Cup 2023 at the OL Stadium on Wednesday, still looking for the overdue win to end their tournament losing streak.

In their way, Uruguay, who have caused problems for both France and Italy in their two matches to date, pushing the former all the way in Lille, and even leading 17-7 at half-time against the latter. 

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Fixture: Namibia vs France

Venue: Groupama Stadium, Lyonnais, France

Kickoff Time: 16:45 (GMT)

Referee: Jaco Peyper  

Head-to-head Played:

Played: 5

Uruguay Wins: 4

Namibia: 1

Draws: 0

This will be their first Rugby World Cup meeting, after four internationals and one World Rugby Nations Cup fixture in 2019.

Points for:

Uruguay: 168

Namibia: 130 

Biggest winning margin:

Uruguay: 16 (20 November 2019)

Namibia: 2 (2017)

World Cup Results

Uruguay

27-12 (L) ­vs. France

38-17 (L) vs. Italy

Namibia

52-8 (L) vs. Italy

­71-3 (L) vs. New Zealand

96-0 (L) vs. France

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

PROFILE: Debut as Referee: 2009

Tests as Referee: 45

RWC Games as Referee: 4

Team News:

Uruguay: Head coach Esteban Meneses has made four changes to his starting XV from their 38-17 loss against Italy, with two in the forward pack and two in the back-line. Diego Arbelo replaces Ignacio Peculo in the front-row after playing 21 minutes off the bench last week against Italy. Carlos Deus replaces Manuel Diana in the back-row, in only the third start of his career, and first since their last test against Namibia in August.

Namibia: Head coach Allister Coetzee has made seven personnel changes to in his starting XV from their last game against France, with four in the forward pack and three in the backline. • Johan Coetzee and Gerswin Mouton will be the only two players to have started all four matches at this tournament. 

• Both teams remain unmoved on the World Rugby rankings powered by Capgemini, with Uruguay in 17th and Namibia in 21st after round three.

• The team leading at half-time has won each of the past four meetings in this fixture. Not since Uruguay overturned a 9-7 deficit at the break in Montevideo in 2000 has either team come back to win when trailing after 40 minutes. This has been a high-scoring fixture in recent times with a match average of nine tries per game since 2017. Seven tries were scored in total earlier this year.

• This is the second game of RWC 2023 to be played at OL Stadium in Lyon, following Wales’ 40-6 victory against the Wallabies. Three more games are scheduled after this match with New Zealand against Italy on 29 September, New Zealand against Uruguay on 5 October, with hosts France playing their final pool match here against Italy on 6 October.