Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 4 August 12:30 pm

Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:

# We start with rugby: Stormers forwards coach, Rito Hlungwani, says the magnitude of the challenge and chance to face New Zealand had precipitated sacrifices the players were prepared to make. They have only just returned to work in the build-up to the United Rugby Championship season, which kicks off at the end of September. Hlungwani says in a normal off-season, they would only start the pre-season preparation now, mostly emphasising on conditioning:

More rugby news: Nine capped Springbok Women have been included in a squad of 30 players that assembled in Somerset West, Cape Town, for the first of two camps. The group is part of the Springbok Women Academy, where players not involved in the Test squads are training together as part of the wider national squad. The Springbok Women ‘A’-squad of 26 players will depart for Brazil on the 20th. They will face their Brazilian counterparts in Brasilia and Sao Paulo on 24 and 29 August.

# Soccer: Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis says they are well aware of what is at stake ahead of tonight’s all-important Women’s Africa Cup of Nations clash against Burkina Faso. South Africa is at the bottom of the table in Group B with just one point after two matches. To progress to the quarterfinals, Banyana Banyana have to beat Burkina Faso and then hope Ivory Coast get the same result against Tanzania. Ellis says they have enough experienced players to get them over the line.

Other soccer news: FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s abandoned plan to sell a World Cup stake to private investors have placed him under tremendous pressure to stay in the position. The governing bodies of Europe and North and Central America and the Caribbean, UEFA and Concacaf’s announcements they have lost confidence in his leadership was followed by UEFA’s consideration of legal action. Wales then said it was withdrawing support for Infantino’s re-election bid, while England is tipped to follow suit. FIFA’s next presidential election is scheduled for March next year.

# And tennis: Third-seeded American Taylor Fritz clinched his 11th ATP Tour title by winning the DC Open in Washington. He defeated Spain’s Rafael Jodar to secure his first title since June last year, and a first on a hard court since February 2024. In the women’s final, 21-year-old Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino to win a WTA singles title when she defeated top-seeded American Jessica Pegula. With this victory, Eala has jumped from 28th in the world rankings to a career-high 20th.

Stay tuned for more news………….