Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 11 November 12:30 pm

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

# We begin with cricket: Batter Marnus Labuschagne remains confident he will return to Australia’s Test side. The 32-year-old South African-born has been dropped from the upcoming four-match Test Championship series against New Zealand following poor performances. He managed only 131 runs with a highest score of 39 across the three Tests against South Africa. Labuschagne says he will use this as an opportunity to step back from the scrutiny he has been under for the past two years:

# Soccer: Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has picked a strong 23-player squad for the 2027 Women’s World Cup play-offs in Morocco. Denmark-based midfielder Sibulele Holweni has received her first call-up since moving to Europe last month. Captain Refiloe Jane will miss the opening game against Chinese Taipei to serve a one-match suspension. South Africa is one of six nations taking part in the preliminary round starting later this month. Ellis says selecting the squad was difficult:

# Swimming: South Africa’s most decorated Olympic athlete Tatjana Smith’s decision to switch allegiance to the Netherlands is ascribed in part to her legal disputes with Swimming South Africa over withheld prize money and poor athlete provisions. The 29-year-old, who has dual citizenship through her father, Rene Schoenmaker, hopes to compete for the Netherlands in 2028’s Olympics in America. Smith explains it has stronger, more sustainable high-performance structures, while admitting to financial challenges in South Africa:

# Rugby: The Blitzboks have suffered more injuries before the new season, with playmaker Shilton van Wyk and captain Impi Visser now also on the sidelines. Forwards Zander Reynders and Jayden Nel were injured earlier. Coach Philip Snyman says there is a possibility that Visser will be ready for this month’s first tournament in Dubai. Snyman plans to use the first six tournaments to build depth, and the last three for Olympic qualification:

And lastly, in other rugby news, Boland’s coach, Hawies Fourie, says it would be incredible if Springbok stalwarts Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende would join the union. Negotiations are reportedly underway to obtain their services after next year’s World Cup in Australia. Du Toit recently announced his departure from Japan, while De Allende plans to leave the Asian country next year. Fourie says both players live close to Wellington and have indicated they want to settle in the town to be near their families.

Stay tuned for more news………….