Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 14 November 12:30 pm

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

# We start with rugby: If the stars align this weekend, South Africa will be assured of the number one world ranking at the end of the year despite the outcome of their final two tour matches against Ireland and Wales. For this to happen, the Springboks have to beat Italy in Turin tomorrow, and England must conquer the All Blacks at Twickenham. The Boks’ increased their lead over second-placed New Zealand with last weekend’s victory over France. England is currently in fourth place behind Ireland, who faces the Wallabies tomorrow.

Meanwhile, 42 players have been invited to a week-long Springbok Women’s alignment camp in Cape Town. The group consists of 21 players who represented South Africa at the World Cup in England in September, and several who excelled at the Under-20 Women’s Week in Johannesburg last month. Coach Swys de Bruin says the camp will allow them the opportunity to look at some of the young players to get a better understanding of their abilities amongst the senior players.

# Olympics: Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has confirmed that South Africa is planning to bid for the 2036 or 2040 Olympic and Paralympic Games to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting events to Africa for the first time. In 2010, South Africa became the first country on the continent to host the Soccer World Cup. Ntshavheni says the country won’t require significant investment to improve its already available infrastructure:

And finally, tennis news: 

# Twenty-two-year-old Carlos Alcaraz has clinched the year-end world number one ranking for the second time in his career. The Spaniard secured the prestigious honour after defeating Italian Lorenzo Musetti to finish top of the Jimmy Connors at the ATP Finals in Turin, and make the semifinals. Australian Alex de Minaur stunned American Taylor Fritz to progress to the semifinals. Alcaraz says securing the year-end number one ranking means everything to him:

And world number nine Lorenzo Musetti has also decided not to play for two-time defending champion Italy in the Davis Cup Finals, starting in Bologna in his home country on Tuesday. This follows a similar decision by the country’s best player, Jannik Sinner. Musetti was eliminated by Alcaraz from the ATP Finals yesterday. He says he decided to withdraw because he isn’t 100-percent fit and his partner is due to give birth to their second child in the next few days.

Stay tuned for more news………….