Sports News 12:30
BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 11 July 12:30 pm
Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:
# Rugby: Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi says they want to improve their scrum performance in Saturday’s final Test against Ireland in Durban. South Africa only started dominating that set piece in the first match in Pretoria once the bomb squad was released early in the second half. That eventually led to the forwards earning a penalty try late in the game. Mbonambi says they learned from their initial frustrations when Ireland succeeded in spoiling their scrums, but there are still many improvements to be made.
More news about the sport is that loosehead prop Fin Baxter will make his first start for England in the second Test against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. The 22-year-old, who made his Test debut from the bench in last week’s narrow 16-15 loss to the All Blacks in Dunedin, replaces the injured Joe Marler. Bevan Rodd comes into the squad to back up Baxter on the bench. England needs to win to level the two-Test series at a venue where the All Blacks have not lost for 30 years.
# Olympics: Gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz and sprinter Akani Simbine will be Team South Africa’s flag bearers at the Games in Paris, while swimmer Kat Swanepoel and track star Mpumelelo Mhlongo will do the honours at the Paralympic Games. The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee recently added the Blitzboks and several other athletes to Team South Africa, meaning 140 athletes will compete in 19 sporting codes. The Olympics start on the 26th of this month, and the Paralympics on the 28th of next month.
# Soccer: A late goal from Ollie Watkins has sent England to the final of the European Championship where they will face three-time champions Spain in Berlin on Sunday. England came from behind to beat the Netherlands two-one in their semifinal clash. The Three Lions will hope to go one step further than at Euro 2020 when they lost the final on penalties to Italy. Manager Gareth Southgate says reaching another final is a huge achievement for the team:
# And, tennis: Lorenzo Musetti is through to his first Wimbledon semifinal. The 22-year-old defeated American Taylor Fritz in five sets to become the fourth Italian men’s singles semi-finalist in the tournament’s history. He will face Serbia’s Novak Djokovic for a place in the final. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane eased into the Wimbledon ladies wheelchair singles quarterfinals with a, 6-2, 6-love victory over Britian’s Lucy Shuker. Musetti says playing Djokovic will be a challenge:
Stay tuned for more news………….