Corry Ihuhua
5 September 2008
NAMIBIAN rugby's best number four lock, Uakazuvaka 'Wacca' Kazombiaze, believes he still has five more years to play competitively before he hangs up his boots.
The towering national team player told The Namibian Sport in an interview that he dreamed of playing for the national team and at the World Cup as soon as he took up the sport seriously at the age of 18.
Kazombiaze, now 29 years old, believes he has matured as a player and still has a lot to offer for both his club and country.
"I never though of playing rugby when I was growing up, but as soon as I started, the joy I got from it was overwhelming and I fell in love with the sport. I can still go the distance. So far it has been a roller-coaster," he said.
Kazombiaze became the first black player to play in all four World Cup group matches in France last year, while he also wrote himself into the history books by becoming the first black rugby player to sign a professional contract in Europe.
He has 30 caps for the senior national team.
Kazombiaze played for a season in England where he donned the colours of Pertemp Bees Rugby Football Club in the National Division One League between October 2007 and April this year.
He did not renew his contract because the club was relegated National Division Two.
He said he decided not to play for them next season because the pay was far less than he had earned in the first league.
He also said the weather in Birmingham was not pleasant.
Before he returned to Namibia, he got another contract in France for Lavilla Rugby Football Club, which he took up.
He however terminated it before he could even start for the team after the French Embassy required him to have a tourist visa, while the contract was only valid for six months.
He said it was not worth leaving his job at the Directorate of Sport and play for a club in France for six months on a tourist visa.
After that, Kazombiaze also got an offer from South Africa's Boland Kavaliers, who now play in the Currie Cup, but turned it down because he was not happy with what the club offered him.
He has since been playing for Western Suburbs in the Namibian Premier League, a club he joined in 2004.
He said he does not have any regrets about not taking up some of the opportunities, as he is a proud Namibian international rugby player who needs to be treated decently in terms of payment.
He made his national debut against South Africa's Valke in 2000.
He has already played against Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks such as Percy Montgomery, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Bryan Habana, Juan Smith, Butch James and others.
He played against those stars on August 15 last year during an international rugby friendly at Newlands in Cape Town ahead of the World Cup.
Despite being nailed 105-9 by the Springboks, Kazombiaze said it was a great learning experience and the Namibians' performance improved well into the World Cup.
"For me, every game is a challenge. It is a different game and I always try to bring my part and I like the way my team-mates support me to do my job on the field," he said.
He said he can also play as a loose forward, but due to his height and strength, he can be better utilised in the scrums and the line-outs.
He said Namibia has excellent rugby players and they need the support of the public, private sector and the Government to keep up their excellent performances.
"I have learnt a lot of lessons in this game and my dream is to see former President Sam Nujoma and current President Hifikepunye Pohamba watching the national rugby team play at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Katutura one day," he said.
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