Namibia and Zimbabwe compete with the African Rugby Cup final in Kampala on Saturday, where the winner will win a place in the Rugby 2027 World Cup in Australia and represent a continent with great ambitions in the game, but little resources to meet them.

Namibia have appeared in each World cup Since 1999, while ZIMBABWE He contested the first two in 1987 and 1991, but have not returned since then.

They could Namibia 32-10 last year, suggesting that their chances are good.

Namibia’s success in achieving the global event of performances is mainly in their exposure to the Rugby ecosystem of South Africa, which is among the best in the world, helping to polish approximate diamonds of the country.

There is no lack of passion for the game throughout Africa, from Morocco and Algeria in the north, Senegal and Ivory Coast in the west, up to Kenya and Uganda in the east.

Madagascar sees crowds up to 30,000 supporters in home matches, sometimes more than football, which still reign supreme as the number one sport on the continent.

But getting this enthusiasm and turning it into developing teams that can be competitive on a global scale beyond South African Springboxes is a major challenge.

“People often ask, ‘Why only Namibia qualifies in the World Cup?’“Said African President Rugby Herbert Mensah in an interview with Reuters.

“The truth is that sport is a big business. Countries like England receive over 150 million pounds ($ 201m) a year to fund their national Rugby programs.

“In contrast, the entire African continent, excluding South Africa, receives about $ 2 million. This inequality restricts what we can do.

“We have over 40 Member Nations of Africa Rugby. Air travel alone, say, from Dakar to Madagascar, can cost up $ 2,000 (per person). Development is not just about passion, it is about resources.

“We need funds to support age races, develop women’s rugby and run basic programs across the continent. For now, that infrastructure is still missing.“

But they are not all punishments and darkness. Mensah, who is a member of the Rugby World Executive Board, says African governments have begun to see the value to invest in the game beyond the millions they usually put in football every year.

“We’ve seen mass purchases recently,“He said.”Uganda’s government has completed over 3 billion shilinga ($ 838,457) To host the African Cup Rugby 2025. Morocco, Ghana and Ivory Coast have supported all financial events.

“Morocco shares more than 1% of its GDP for basic sport, including rugby. There is a real moment.

“This shows that we are not just dependent on the world rugby. The more governments invest, the more attractive we become sponsors. It is a multi -step strategy, the first governments, then the sponsors. That’s how we escalate the game.“