Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 21 November 12:30 pm

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

# First up we have rugby: Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has decided to rest prop Ox Nché for the clash against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. This will see Wilco Louw start at tighthead prop, while Thomas du Toit moves to loosehead. Meanwhile, four players omitted from the matchday squad, Kwagga Smith, Lukhanyo Am, André Esterhuizen, and Makazole Mapimpi, returned to South Africa yesterday. Erasmus says they still have enough depth in the squad to cover all the positions in case of injuries before the match.

Meanwhile, the statistics are in the Springboks’ favour for the game on Saturday. The two teams have met 42 times in the past, with South Africa winning 34 matches and Wales seven, while one ended in a draw. The Boks’ biggest victory over the Welshman came in South Africa in 1998, when they won 96-13 – still Wales’ biggest defeat ever. Victory for the world champions at the Principality Stadium will hand them their first undefeated northern hemisphere tour since 2013.

# Cricket: Proteas coach Shukri Conrad says they are targeting a place in the final of the World Test Championship. South Africa is currently in fifth place in the standings and plays Sri Lanka in Durban in the first of two Tests from Wednesday. The visitors are currently in third place behind Australia and India, with New Zealand fourth. Conrad says although Sri Lanka is a very good side, the Proteas know if they play close to their ability, they will have a good chance to win.  

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos believes his charges can be competitive in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, and also have a chance to qualify for the next World Cup. South Africa ended their qualifying for Afcon 2025 undefeated when they beat South Sudan 3-nil in Cape Town on Tuesday. Bafana tops Group K and will advance to Morocco together with Uganda. Broos says they now have a good chance of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup since they have a quality team.  

# And finally, tennis: Italy won their fifth Billie Jean King Cup title, and first since 2013, by beating 2002 champions Slovakia two-nil in Málaga, Spain. Lucia Bronzetti got Italy off the mark with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Viktoria Hruncakova in the opening match of the final tie. World number four Jasmine Paolini secured the victory when she defeated Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 6-1. Paolini, who has enjoyed a breakthrough 2024 season, says winning the trophy is unbelievable:

Stay tuned for more news………….