Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 3 May 12:30 pm

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

# We kick off with rugby: The Blitzboks could not ask for a better start to the Singapore Sevens tournament by beating Spain 31-7 in their opening game. Selvyn Davids and Dewald Human scored tries in the first half to have the South Africans lead 12-0 at the break. In the second half Impi Visser, Tristan Leyds and Rosko Specman also scored tries to seal the victory. The Blitzboks face Samoa in their next Group B match at 18-minutes-past-1. In the women’s division, South Africa caused a huge upset by beating the strong American team 14-12.

More rugby news: Welsh and British and Irish Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny is expected to make his long-awaited Super Rugby debut for the Crusaders tomorrow. He was included in the starting team against the Reds in Christchurch after a three-month lay-off with a chest injury. Halfpenny joined the defending champion last year following his retirement from the international game. He played 101 Tests for Wales and four games for the Lions. The Crusaders are currently tenth on the log after only winning two out of their nine matches.

# Roadrunning: The fifth annual Prince Mangosuthu ultra-marathon returns to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands this Sunday. However, it will be a poignant occasion as it marks the first year without the race’s namesake, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who passed away last September. The 52-kilometre race serves as a qualifier for the Comrades marathon. Umzinyathi District mayor, Petros Ngubane, says all measures are in place to ensure the event runs smoothly:

# Cricket: The International Cricket Council has handed West Indies all-rounder, Devon Thomas, a five-year ban after admitting to seven anti-corruption breaches. Eighteen months of his ban has been suspended. His most serious offence was match-fixing attempts in Sri Lanka’s domestic T20 competition in 2021, in which he played just one game for the Kandy Warriors. Thomas has played 34 times for the Windies across all formats. The ICC says this ban should send a strong message that attempts to corrupt the sport will be dealt with firmly.

# And finally, tennis: World number one Iga Swiatek will face defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final, a repeat of last year’s final. Swiatek of Poland defeated American Madison Keys, 6-1, 6-3, to reach her third final of the year. Belarusian second seed Sabalenka fought back from a set down to beat Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6. Sabalenka expects a tough match against Swiatek:

Stay tuned for more news………….