Belgium pulled off a stunning upset in the second match of the opening round of the Final Qualification Tournament, defeating Namibia 22–10 and setting up a decisive clash with Samoa for the final World Cup spot.
The Diables Noirs dominated from the start, carving slick running lines that left Namibia flat-footed. After fifteen phases of patient build-up, prop Jean-Baptiste de Clercq crashed over for the opener, with Matias Remue adding the conversion. Remue later extended the lead with a penalty, before veteran scrum-half Julien Berger darted over for Belgium’s second try.
Namibia struggled to find rhythm, with Belgium’s spoiling tactics disrupting multiple scoring opportunities. By halftime, the African side trailed 14–0, managing only a single penalty from fly-half Andre van der Berg.
The second half turned scrappy, featuring 21 penalties and four yellow cards. Sin-binnings for Namibia’s Wian Conradie and Belgium’s Dazzy Cornez left both sides short-handed, opening the door for Belgium’s Jean-Maurice Decubber to crash over and extend the lead to 19 points. Despite a temporary sending-off for Vincent Tauzia, Belgium maintained control.
Namibia rallied in the final ten minutes, crossing twice to earn a losing bonus point — but it wasn’t enough to deny Belgium another memorable victory.
Having already beaten the Netherlands and Canada in the lead-up, Belgium now faces Brazil in round two, while Namibia meets Samoa. A second defeat would eliminate the Welwitschias from World Cup contention for the first time since 1995.
English