Namibia has produced some of rugby’s most talented, hardworking and fiercest players in recent times. Players such as their current director of rugby, Jacques Burger, Renaldo Bothma, Chrysander Botha and Damian Stevens have plied their trade outside of Namibia. Other names include Louis “Chucky” van der Westhuizen, Tiaan Swanepoel, Aranos Coetzee, Le Roux Malan and Cliven Loubser.
This list grows by the season, with many more players from Namibia making their mark. One such player adding his name to this list is second-generation Namibia Welwitschia backline player, Gerswin Mouton.
Hailing from Rehoboth, Mouton has just finished his first season with Grenoble FC in France’s Pro D2, the league one step below the prestigious Top 14.
The 25-year-old Mouton has carved out a promising professional path, shaped by his earliest role model, his father, Deon, who played wing for Namibia, amassing 24 Test caps and representing them at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Gerswin has emulated his dad by representing his country on the wing too. A position he has served with much aplomb, and testament to this is him racking up 14 tries during the 2025 ProD2 season.
“My love for rugby has been there since I was a little boy,” Mouton said. “I always grew up watching my dad play, and I wanted to be just like him.”
Mouton’s decisions and rugby path led him to Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaat Skool (WAP), a decision he credits as pivotal and crucial. It was during these years that the baseline he had formed in his early childhood provided an adequate platform for him to springboard into what would subsequently serve him well in his professional career.
“Going to WAP was one of the best choices I made because my coach there really played a big role in my development and taught me a lot about the game.”
Pictures: Jack Trebor
Breaking through in Namibia and South Africa
Mouton’s breakout came when he represented Namibia at the U/18 Craven Week. However, opportunities were not easy to come by in Namibia, a reality that he and thousands of other players know all too well.
“That’s [at Craven Week] how I got seen,” he explains. “And my coach at WAP also helped me make the move possible. The Bulls who spotted his talent and offered him a two-year junior contract before he made the trek across the Jukskei.
“The biggest challenge for a young player in Namibia is getting the exposure you need to be seen by the right people. I just made sure that I was always ready for when the opportunity presented itself.”
One such opportunity came in the form of the Varsity Cup, where Mouton would run out in the blue and gold colours of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg. Yet another chapter that would prove to be solidifying his stature as a playmaker and versatile back.
He would play three seasons, from 2020 to 2023, for the team led by head coach and legendary university rugby coach Hugo van As.
“I think my time at Wits was the most challenging period of my career. The difficulties I went through there helped shape my mentality and prepared me for the things ahead.”
Bonjour la France
An opportunity to test his mettle against some of the most challenging and most gruelling opposition in Europe presented itself. Mouton, who has been capped eight times by the Namibia Welwitschias, joined Grenoble after a brief stint in 2023 for the Tel Aviv Heat.
“It’s always a privilege to represent my country, and having done that on the biggest stage in rugby was a real honour. I look forward to continuing to represent Namibia.”
Through the work of the agency that manages his contractual affairs, F7 Sports Management, Mouton was given an opportunity, a chance, an open door, to show what a kid from Rehoboth can muster up against some of the rugby world’s most formidable opposition. While the switch to French rugby came with adjustments, he quickly recognised the contrasts in playing style.
“My agent, Shafiek Mouton [no relation to Gerswin], got me the opportunity to come to Grenoble, and representing my country at the World Cup also helped me get that exposure. In Southern Africa, the game is more physical. But here in France, it’s a bit faster.”
Despite his successes, Mouton’s career has not been without challenges and hurdles.
“There’s not one specific moment,” he says of his struggles. “It’s been a lot of different moments; constantly having to work twice as hard, never being seen, the constant rejection because of where I came from.
“However, all of that only fuelled my determination never to give up. That’s why I’m so grateful to Grenoble for giving me this opportunity to prove myself.”
The chip and chase ahead
Mouton has also proven his versatility by playing on both wings as well as outside centre and fullback. His mindset remains grounded in creating chances and finishing strong
Former Bok speedster Gio Aplon and 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning hooker Deon Fourie also played for Grenoble.
The former Wits star has featured in 21 games, starting in 19 of these and coming off the bench in the other two, for Grenoble. He scored 10 tries in his last 7 games of the season and nearly succeeded in helping his club gain promotion to the prestigious French Top 14. He hopes to improve and increase his contribution to his side.
“My biggest focus is my finishing and my work rate off the ball, always trying to get myself into a position to create something.
“I want to continue improving my game and help my team get to the Top 14. Outside of rugby, I want to finish my degree.”
Gerswin, who extended his contract with the French side, was recently announced as Grenoble’s Players’ Player of the Year.
