Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 30 September 12:30 pm

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

# First up, soccer: Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane says they will not take Eritrea lightly in their second Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Cairo, Egypt, this evening. South Africa kicked off their campaign by beating Guinea 2-1 this past weekend, while Eritrea snatched a point away from home after a 1-all draw with Kenya in the other Group D match. Mosimane has identified Egyptian-based Eritrean striker Ali Suleiman as the player to watch, saying he is fast, deadly on set pieces and shoots from any angle.

# Cricket: Proteas spin bowler Keshav Maharaj believes the ongoing series against Australia provides an important opportunity to lay the foundation ahead of next year’s World Cup. South Africa will look to secure a series whitewash in this afternoon’s third and final one-day match in Potchefstroom before the three Tests. Maharaj, who has picked up six wickets in the series so far, says they are focused on the process as they keep building squad depth and improving in certain areas leading up to the global showpiece.

# Rugby: Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo says their clash against defending United Rugby Championship champions Leinster in Durban on Saturday is a great opportunity to test themselves against the best. JP Pietersen’s men opened their campaign with a 41-24 victory over Ospreys, while Leinster lost to the Lions. Mongalo says their review of the Ospreys game identified four soft moments rather than a problem with the defensive system, which they cannot afford against Leinster. He admits their backline faces a tough task against the Irish giants.

Other rugby news: Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio is putting his 2003 World Cup winner’s medal up for auction amid ongoing financial difficulties. The 54-year-old was declared bankrupt last year and has listed a collection of memorabilia from his career for sale. Dallaglio played in England’s 20-17 victory over Australia in the 2003 final in Sydney. The medal is expected to fetch between 1.1- and 1.7-million-rand. The auction, including his 2007 World Cup runners-up medal and other honours, is expected to raise about 3.9-million-rand.

# And tennis: Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus says she is refreshed before her first tournament since losing the number one world ranking to Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan earlier this month. This happened after the US Open, where she also lost to Rybakina in the final. Sabalenka topped the rankings for 99 weeks, but the four-time Grand Slam champion will end the season without a major title for the first time since 2022. Both players are participating in the China Open in Beijing from today.

Stay tuned for more news………….