Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 17 July 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 defended his team’s unconventional tactics in last weekend’s second Test against Italy in Gqeberha, asking who decides what is against the spirit of the game or not. This follows an outcry after centre André Esterhuizen deliberately moved in front of Manie Libbok at kick-off, forcing a scrum on the halfway-line, and employing a niche move later to set up a line-out that led to a try. Erasmus says the game definitely needs innovation which should be praised and not denounced.

Meanwhile, England’s flanker, Tom Curry, and Scottish centre Sione Tuipulotu are in the British and Irish Lions’ squad for the first Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday. Tuipulotu has earned the nod ahead of Bundee Aki, while Curry has beaten out the likes of Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock. Marcus Smith is on the bench ahead of Fin Smith and Owen Farrell. Coach Andy Farrell says they have the right balance for the match:

# Soccer: Crystal Palace chairperson Steve Parish has confirmed his club will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being demoted from the Europa League. Palace qualified for the Europa League with a shock FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in May. But European governing body UEFA ruled Palace should drop down to the Conference League over a conflict of interest involving the club’s former director, John Textor, who also part-owns French side Lyon. Textor stepped away from Palace at the start of this month.

# Cricket: West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell is set to retire from international cricket after the second T20 match against Australia in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday. The 37-year-old, a two-time T20 World Cup winner, has earned 84 international caps in the format and taken 61 wickets. He also has 56 one-day international caps and 70 wickets. Russell says he wants to finish his international career on a high, while being a role model for the next generation of cricketers coming out of the Caribbean.

# And finally, tennis: World number one Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus has withdrawn from the Canadian Open in Montreal due to fatigue. The 27-year-old reigning US Open champion says she is looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give herself the best chance for success, it’s in her best interest to skip Montreal. Spain’s Paula Badosa has also withdrawn because of an injury. American Caty McNally and Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima replace Sabalenka and Badosa in the main draw.

Stay tuned for more news………….