Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 11 August 12:30 pm

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

# We kick off with rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has called up veteran utility forward Deon Fourie to the national squad for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks. The 39-year-old, who doubles up as a loose forward and hooker, last played for the Boks in the 2023 World Cup final against New Zealand in Paris. Following a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury, Fourie was the standout performer for the Stormers in their 38-21 loss to the All Blacks in Cape Town last Friday.

Meanwhile, Sharks head coach JP Pietersen has made two injury-enforced changes for tonight’s clash against the All Blacks at Kings Park in Durban. Emile van Heerden has a niggle and Springbok utility forward Vincent Tshituka has concussion. Deon Slabbert comes in for Van Heerden in the starting line-up while Corné Rahl replaces Tshituka on the bench. Pietersen has defended selecting 44-year-old All Blacks great Ma’a Nonu, who joined the Sharks last week:

# Athletics: South Africa finished the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, tenth in the overall standings with eight medals – one gold, three silver and four bronze. This is the country’s largest medal haul at the championships since the national team bagged nine medals in Nairobi in 2021. Some of the standout performances include Jan-Hendrik Heymans winning gold in the men’s javelin, Tumi Ramokgopa bagging silver in both the women’s 100- and 400-metres hurdles, and the men’s four-by-400 metres relay winning silver and setting a new African record.

# Cricket: Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada says they are embracing the freedom and responsibility of playing a World Cup on home soil. South Africa will co-host the 14th edition of the 50-over World Cup alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia next year. The tournament returns to Africa after 24 years. Rabada has particpated in South Africa’s two most recent 50-over World Cup campaigns in 2019 and 2023. He says the team is full of belief following their triumph over Australia in the World Test Championship final last year.

# And tennis: Former world number one Iga Swiatek is through to the Canadian Open semifinals in Toronto. The Pole brushed aside Russia’s Diana Shnaider in 68 minutes. Swiatek will face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina following her victory over Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova to reach her fourth WTA One-thousand semifinal of the year. Meanwhile, in Montreal, rain prompted the postponement of two men’s quarterfinals originally set for yesterday. Organisers have rescheduled all four quarterfinals for today, with the semifinals tomorrow and the final on Thursday.

Stay tuned for more news………….