Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 6 March 12:30 pm

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

# We start with rugby: Springbok management wants three more matches for the team this year to toughen up the schedule halfway between two World Cups. The two-time defending champions already have 13 confirmed appointments, but operational manager Charles Wessels says they plan a match against the Barbarians in June, as well as two Tests against undisclosed opponents. Head coach Rassie Erasmus says they realise it will be a tough season, but they want to give the players opportunities to build experience and show their mettle.

# Cricket: New Zealand will face India in Sunday’s final of the Champions Trophy after the Black Caps defeated South Africa by 50 runs in the semifinal in Lahore, Pakistan. Centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson helped the 2000 champions post a mammoth 362 for six. Lungi Ngidi took three wickets. The Proteas could not manage the fourth highest successful ODI run-chase and were restricted to 312 for nine despite David Miller’s unbeaten 100 from 64 balls.

South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma has expressed disappointment at being knocked out, saying they needed to be more decisive in their run-chase. He admits 363 was always going to be a tough chase, and they needed all of their batters to stand up and string partnerships:

# Golf: Last week’s SA Open champion, Dylan Naidoo, leads a strong field for the Joburg Open, which teed off at the Houghton Golf Club this morning. Veteran Darren Fichardt is back as he seeks to become only the third player to win the tournament more than once, following his triumph in 2017. Other former champions in the field include Dan Bradbury, George Coetzee, Shubhankar Sharma, and Haydn Porteous. Naidoo says he has a strong desire to do well in this tournament:

# And finally, soccer: The final of next year’s World Cup in North America will feature a half-time show like America’s Super Bowl’s for the first time. World governing body Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, says a list of artists will perform in the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in the United States, who will host the tournament together with Canada and Mexico. He promises it will be a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world. The tournament runs from the 11th of June until the 19th of July.

Stay tuned for more news………….