Zimbabwe stuns Namibia to qualify for Rugby World Cup for first time since 1991
Zimbabwe is the second side from Africa, after world champion South Africa, to secure a berth in the expanded 24-team World Cup in Australia in 2027. The Sables are also only the third side from Africa to reach the World Cup in the professional era.
Namibia has played in the last seven World Cups and remained in qualifying contention as the Africa Cup runner-up. It will meet the Asia championship runner-up, the United Arab Emirates, next Saturday in Uganda. The winner advances to the final qualification tournament.
Zimbabwe led 30-16 with 20 minutes to go but Namibia scored two tries to close the gap and missed a last-gasp penalty attempt from halfway.
The win was only Zimbabwe's fourth over Namibia in 35 matches.
___
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
The Associated Press
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
13 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Lions hold off First Nations and Pasifika XV 24-19 in a rugged tour game in Australia
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The British and Irish Lions held off the First Nations and Pasifika XV 24-19 in a tough, physical contest on Tuesday in the last of their midweek games on the Australian tour. The Lions can now focus on trying to clinch the three-test series against the Wallabies on Saturday in Melbourne after winning the first match 27-19 last weekend in Brisbane. 'We've given ourselves a bit of a fright,' Lions head coach Andy Farrell said. 'Congratulations to the First Nations and Pasifika team, (they) made it a hard-fought contest that's for sure.' The Lions are now 7-0 in Australia, including the test match, victories over Super Rugby franchises Western Force,Queensland Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies and two invitational teams. Jamie Osborne scored the opening tries of each half Tuesday and the Lions twice had big leads before being pinned back by the First Nations and Pasifika team, which was drawn from players with Indigenous Australia and Pacific Islands heritage. Making the most of a penalty advantage, the Lions took a 24-14 lead when Owen Farrell dummied a pass to unsettle the defense and send an unmarked Duhan van der Merwe over in the left corner with 15 minutes to play. But the invitational team rallied again, cutting the lead to five points in the 71st when Rob Leota scored a try from close range and sustaining pressure right until fulltime. It had been 14-14 at halftime after each team scored two converted tries and spent 10 minutes giving up a numerical advantage because of yellow cards. The Lions were up 14-0 after center Osborne chased through Fin Smith's chip kick and touched down, while winger Darcy Graham crossed out wide. From a lineout win by Henry Pollock, the Lions created an overlap with players looping in midfield and sent a long, floating pass to the unmarked Scottish winger. But Graham had to leave the field soon after with an injury. Triston Reilly, who was yellow-carded early, returned to score the First Nations and Pasifika's opening try after an intercept on the quarter-line. Blindside flanker Seru Uru picked up and reached over amid three tacklers in the 23rd minute and Kurtley Beale converted to level the score, ensuring the touring Lions knew they were in a contest. 'I'm thankful we got the job done in the end,' skipper Owen Farrell said. ___ AP rugby:
17 minutes ago
Ohtani's big homer and Smith's 2 blasts help Dodgers end home woes with 5-2 win over Twins
LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the first after giving up a leadoff homer to fellow All-Star Byron Buxton, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on Monday night. The NL West leaders snapped a six-game skid at home, their longest such streak at Dodger Stadium since September 2017. They were swept in three games by the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend. Buxton sent Ohtani's second pitch of the game halfway up the left field pavilion. After Mookie Betts walked, Ohtani answered with a 441-foot blast to center that put the Dodgers in front, 2-1. The two-way Japanese superstar has homered in three straight games. Smith went deep twice off David Festa (3-4). Smith led off the fourth with a two-strike homer to center and followed with a 435-foot shot to left that made it 4-1. Andy Pages added a solo shot off reliever Cole Sands. Dustin May (6-6) took over from Ohtani, who allowed one run, four hits and struck out three in three innings. May gave up five hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out four and walked three. Kirby Yates earned his third save. Freddie Freeman was in the lineup a day after being hit by a pitch on his left wrist in Sunday's 6-5 loss to Milwaukee. He was 1 for 4 with a strikeout. Minnesota shortstop Carlos Correa went 0 for 5, getting booed heavily in every at-bat by Dodgers fans still angry about the 2017 World Series, when Correa played for Houston. He was robbed of a potential game-tying homer by James Outman at the center field wall in the ninth. Ohtani is the first pitcher to give up a homer and hit a homer in the first inning of the same game since Philadelphia's Randy Lerch in a 23-22 win over the Chicago Cubs on May 17, 1979. Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 3.95 ERA) starts Tuesday against Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-7, 2.59). ___
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
British & Irish Lions 24, First Nations & Pasifika 19
Melbourne, Australia Marvel Stadium Tuesday British & Irish Lions 24 (Jamie Osborne 2, Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe tries; Fin Smith 2 conversions), First Nations & Pasifika XV 19 (Triston Reilly, Seru Uru, Rob Leota tries; Kurtley Beale 2 conversions). HT: 14-14
