Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 4 June 12:30 pm

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

# We kick off with rugby: Nine South Africans were included in the United Rugby Championship’s Elite 15 announced by the organisers. The Stormers are being represented by flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, loosehead Ntuthuko Mchunu and eighthman Evan Roos, and the Bulls by hooker Johan Grobbelaar, lock Cobus Wiese and scrumhalf Embrose Papier. The other South Africans are Ulster’s wing, Werner Kok, Lions fullback Quan Horn, and Lions flanker Ruan Venter. The semifinals of the competition are taking place this weekend.

More rugby: Winger Donavan Don has replaced Dewald Human in the Springbok Sevens squad for the final World Championship event in Bordeaux, France, this weekend. Human sustained a knee injury in Spain last weekend, which prompted the playmaker’s return to South Africa. The Blitzboks won the first World Championship event in Hong Kong, but lost to Australia in the final in the second event in Spain. South Africa still leads the table with 38 points, followed by Argentina and Australia, as they look to win the title.

# Soccer: Iran’s World Cup squad will arrive in Mexico on Sunday, where they will be stationed throughout the tournament and only travel to the US for matches. They will depart from Turkey after attended a training camp. Tensions over the war between the US and Iran reportedly complicated the issue of US visas, prompting the team to move their base from Arizona to Tijuana. Iran’s first World Cup match is against New Zealand in Los Angeles on the 15th, followed by Group G matches against Belgium and Egypt.

# Golf: Six-time major champion Rory McIlroy is aiming for his first-ever victory at the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament, which kicks off in Dublin, Ohio, today. The Northern Irishman’s best finish at the tournament was tied for fourth in 2016. McIlroy, who clinched back-to-back Masters victories in April, admits the layout at Muirfield Village does not necessarily favour his game, saying he believes success will hinge on tweaking his natural game:

# And lastly tennis: World number one Aryna Sabalenka has been knocked out in the quarterfinals of the French Open. The Belarusian suffered a three-sets defeat by Russia’s Diana Shnaider, who is through to her first Grand Slam semifinal. Shnaider will face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska, who beat Russia’s Anna ‌Kalinskaya. In the men’s draw, Italian Matteo Berrettini retired injured in the second set of his quarterfinal match against compatriot Matteo Arnaldi. Another Italian, Flavio Cobolli, reached his maiden major semifinal when he defeated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets.

Stay tuned for more news………….