Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 3 June 12:30 pm

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

# We start off with rugby: Glasgow Warriors expect a huge physical test in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship semifinal against the Bulls. The Scottish outfit had beaten the Pretoria team twice this season, but both games had been very close. Assistant coach Nigel Carolan describes the match as a massive opportunity for them against really tough opposition. He says they just have to keep their feet on the ground and control what they can. The match is being played at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, with kick-off at 3.30 Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, former Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber says he is uncertain over his future at Leinster in Ireland, despite having a year left on his contract. His team plays the Stormers in the semifinal this weekend after losing to Bordeaux in the Champions Cup title decider. This was their second time in the final, while they also won the URC last season. But Nienaber says CEO’s and boards are influenced by public and media criticism rather than by teams’ performances.   

# Soccer: Local governing body SAFA says Bafana Bafana’s assistant coach, Helman Mkhalele, and head of security, Mdu Mbatha, have left to join the rest of the team in Mexico for the World Cup after finally securing their visas. Their initial applications were denied by the US consulate general in Johannesburg for unspecified reasons. SAFA says both officials were granted visas following intervention from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Bafana Bafana is due to play a final warm-up friendly against Jamaica on Friday.

Meanwhile, the National Gambling Board warns South Africans to be on high alert for illegal gambling platforms and fake betting apps during the World Cup. The board says criminal syndicates often take advantage of increased betting activity during major sporting events by using fraudulent mobile apps, phishing links and misleading social media advertisements to scam consumers. The public is urged to gamble responsibly and verify that betting operators are licensed before placing bets.

# And cricket: Some teams will test the pink ball in day-Tests after the International Cricket council’s executive board approved trialling the idea in order to minimise lost time due to bad light. Pink balls are already used in day-night Tests, while red balls are not easily visible in fading light. White balls, used in T20s and one-day games, are not durable enough for the longest format. The ICC also approved research on lighting technology for match officials and fields to reduce lost play due to poor light.

Stay tuned for more news………….