Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 17 May12:30 pm

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

# First up, we have rugby: Sharks centre Murray Koster has been handed a five-game suspension for his red card against Benetton in their United Rugby Championship match in Durban. He was red-carded after a dangerous entry into a ruck. Koster’s good record, timely admission of guilt, and apology resulted in a five-game suspension, instead of the warranted ten. He will miss the clash with Cardiff in Durban tomorrow, the Challenge Cup final against Gloucester, and the last match of the URC season against the Bulls.

# Roadrunning: The organisers of the Comrades Marathon have agreed to remove the first cut-off at St Johns Avenue in Pinetown. They received numerous requests due to the time it’s taking athletes to cross the starting line, the roadworks in Sherwood, and athletes having to amend their pacing during the first half of the race. This year’s up-run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on the ninth of next month involves solid climbing over the first 38-kilometres, leading to athletes starting more slowly to conserve strength.

# Soccer: Brazil was announced as host nation for 2027’s women’s World Cup, beating the joint bid of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. World governing body Fifa voted between the two bids in Bangkok, Thailand, this morning. Hundred-and-19 of the delegates voted for Brazil and 78 for the European bid. Brazil also scored higher in Fifa’s evaluation report. The country plans to use ten stadiums used for the men’s World Cup in 2014. This will be the first time the women’s tournament will be held in South America.

# Golf: American Xander Schauffele holds a three-shot lead after the opening round of the PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky. He posted the first 62 round in the tournament’s history and just the fourth ever in a men’s major. His compatriots Tony Finau and Sahith Theegala sit in a tie for second on six under. Another American, Brooks Koepka, opened his title defence with a four-under 67. Schauffele is happy with how he played:

# And finally, tennis: World number one Iga Swiatek will face world number two Aryna Sabalenka in the Italian Open final tomorrow. The 22-year-old Pole defeated American Coco Gauff, 6-4, 6-3, while the Belarusian overcame another American, Danielle Collins, 7-5, 6-2. In the men’s draw, Chile’s Nicolás Jarry knocked out world number seven Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece to reach the semifinals. American Tommy Paul beat Hubert Hurkacz of Poland. Sabalenka says she is looking forward to playing Swiatek:

Stay tuned for more news………….