Rising rugby royalty: Gerswin steals the spotlight
He left his beloved Rehoboth 12 months ago to showcase his talent in rugby circles in France.Gerswin Mouton was with the senior national rugby team in 2022 when they participated in the qualifying rounds of the World Cup, where they secured a spot for the 2023 World Cup in France.
Gerswin played in three matches during the qualifying rounds and scored once behind the Zimbabwe goal line.
The 25-year-old also played a major role in the performance of the Namibians in the four matches during the World Cup, scoring two tries. It was at this tournament that his talent was spotted and his agent, Shafiek Mouton from Cape Town, opened the door for Gerswin's career in France.
The renowned FC Grenoble Rugby Club showed interest and in April last year Gerswin received the news of an opportunity of a lifetime to showcase his potential at Grenoble in the Pro D2 league. His first match was against Never Rugby Club where his team was on the winning side and was a big breakthrough for him, Gerswin said.
After that, FC Grenoble fans became accustomed to the Namibian boy who was a real hit as a winger and centre.
FC Grenoble reached the final, but unfortunately had to bow the knee against the formidable combination of Montauban who ended up on the winning side 24-19.
“I suffered a knee injury in the final and had to leave the field after 20 minutes of play. It was a major disappointment for me,” he admitted.
When asked what was the highlight of his time in France, Gerswin mentions the 14 tries he scored during the season, and the fact that he was voted as Player of the Season by his co-players. However, he said that he was disappointed that he would not be able to compete in the Welwitschias’ qualifying matches for the 2027 World Cup in Australia. “I will probably fully recover from the knee injury in four weeks. But I believe Namibia will make the cut and face the world’s best for the eighth time.”
There is a possibility of an even bigger prize falling into Gerswin’s lap when officials in the French League announce their Player of the Year.