Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 10 September 12:30 pm

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

# First up we have rugby: Springbok utility back Ethan Hooker says, despite having a mixture of nerves and excitement, he is focused solely on playing to the best of his ability. The 22-year-old will earn his first Test start on Saturday, when South Africa take on New Zealand in Wellington. He came off the replacements bench in Eden Park last week. Hooker says his only objective is to go out there and express himself without fear:

Meanwhile, the All Blacks used former captain Richie McCaw to inspire them before Saturday’s Test, saying they want to go to another level after last weekend’s victory. New Zealand stayed undefeated at Eden Park in Auckland since 1994 when they beat South Africa 24-17. Centre Quinn Tupaea, who scored the match-winning try, says McCaw’s presence gave the players a lift as they expect the visitors to be highly motivated to make things even.

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana took another step towards qualifying for next year’sWorld Cup after holding Nigeria to a one-all draw at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. South Africa took the lead courtesy of an own goal by William Troost-Ekong, but Calvin Bassey scored the equaliser for the Super Eagles just before halftime. The point sees Bafana move to 17 points, maintaining their position atop Group C, with two qualifiers left. Coach Hugo Broos is proud of his players:

# Cricket: The Dolphins will host the first edition of the new local T10 Cup in Durban this weekend. They will compete with the Lions, the Titans and Western Province. The Lions and Province will do battle on Friday, while the hosts and the Titans will face off. On Saturday, all four teams will play two matches each to determine who goes through to Sunday’s final and the third-place play-off. CEO of KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Heinrich Strydom says this is the perfect way to prepare for the new season.

# And tennis: The Davis Cup World Group match between Canada and Israel will be played at a closed venue without spectators in Halifax this weekend due to safety concerns. This comes after more than 400 Canadian athletes and academics urged Tennis Canada in a letter to cancel the event over Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Tennis Canada says intelligence from local authorities and national security agencies indicate a risk of significant disruption to the event.

Stay tuned for more news………….