WINDHOEK, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Namibia remains firmly in the hunt for qualification to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, despite a recent setback in the Rugby Africa Cup, according to Namibia Rugby Union president Petri Theron.

Theron announced during a press conference in Windhoek on Tuesday that Namibia's loss to Zimbabwe in the Rugby Africa Cup final on July 19 prevented the country from securing automatic qualification for the global tournament.

"We now turn our focus to the Africa/Asia Play-off, where we will face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Uganda later this year," he said.

The winner of this vital match will proceed to the Final Repechage Tournament to be held in Dubai from November 8 to 18, he added.

"This final repechage will feature a four-team round-robin competition, with only one team securing the last available ticket to the 2027 Rugby World Cup," he added.

The participating nations are Brazil, 3rd place in the 2025 South American Rugby Championship; Canada, loser of the South American/Pacific play-off; Belgium, 5th place in the 2025 Rugby Europe Men's Championship; and Namibia or the UAE, winner of the Africa/Asia play-off.

The team with the highest number of competition points at the end of the round-robin stage in Dubai will secure qualification to the World Cup, Theron said.

"Namibia can and will fight to earn our rightful place at the 2027 Rugby World Cup," he said, adding that the players and management are fully committed to regrouping, reassessing, and reigniting the World Cup campaign. ■