Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 3 February 12:30 pm

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

# Starting off with rugby: Reigning champions South Africa will begin their bid for a historic third consecutive World Cup title against Italy in Adelaide on October third next year, before meeting Georgia the following week and then Romania seven days later. Hosts Australia will open the tournament against debutants Hong Kong in Perth on October first. Zimbabwe will return to the competition for the first time since 1991, and faces Wales in their opener in Adelaide on October second. Three-time winners New Zealand will kick off their campaign against Chile in Perth on October second.

Meanwhile, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says the announcement of the match schedule will now allow them to go full steam ahead with their planning and preparation. He says they will leave no stone unturned in ensuring they are as well prepared as possible for the competition.

# Cricket: The Proteas hope to go one better in the T20 World Cup, starting in India and Sri Lanka this coming weekend. South Africa reached the final in Barbados two years ago, but just couldn’t succeed in beating India to clinch the cup. But winning the World Test Championship last year gave the Proteas hope for a similar result in white-ball cricket. They face Canada, Afghanistan, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates in their group matches, starting against Canada in Ahmedabad, India, on Monday.

# Swimming: Last year’s runner-up, Callan Lötter, is regarded as favourite to win the women’s division of this coming weekend’s Midmar Mile in KwaZulu-Natal. Catherine van Rensburg won’t be back to defend her title, opting to rather train for the Senior Nationals with the goal of qualifying for this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Lötter is the national open water champion over the 1.5-kilometre, five-kilometre and ten-kilometre. Over 12-thousand swimmers are expected to participate in the open water event this year.

# And finally, Olympics: Japan hopes to improve on their previous record of 18 medals when the Winter Olympics takes place in Northern Italy from Friday. Japan was the top Asian country in Beijing four years ago, and eyes even more success in items such as figure skating, snowboarding, speed skating and ski jumping. The country’s Olympic team chief, Hidehito Ito, believes good results will follow when the athletes are able to perform at their very best. A total of 120 Japanese athletes will participate in the Milano-Cortina Olympics.

Stay tuned for more news………….