Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 17 June 12:30 pm

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

# We start off with rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has included five uncapped players in the 23-man squad to face the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday. Junior Bok captain Riley Norton and Carlu Sadie are in the starting lineup, while the uncapped players among the replacements are JJ Kotzé, Paul de Villiers, and Vusi Moyo. Faf de Klerk, who has not featured for the Boks since last year’s victory over Georgia, is on the bench. Experienced players, including captain Siya Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe, and Franco Mostert, are also in the squad.

Meanwhile, Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids says the Barbarians’ unique identity and abundance of world-class talent makes them a threat capable of troubling any international side. The Barbarians will incude the All Blacks legend TJ Perenara and the South African-born Scottish wing Duhan van der Merwe. Davids says their primary objective is to assess their own progress after a lengthy preparation period:

# On to soccer news now: Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0 in their World Cup opener in Kansas City. The 38-year-old is now level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose in scoring the most goals at World Cups. In New Jersey, two-time champions France opened their campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over Senegal. Captain Kylian Mbappé scored two goals, becoming France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals. In Boston, Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 with Erling Haaland scoring twice on his World Cup debut.

# Golf: Defending champion JJ Spaun is attempting to replicate his preparation that delivered him the US Open crown at Oakmont last year. The 35-year-old American could become only the eighth player to win back-to-back US Open titles, a group that includes Brooks Koepka, Ben Hogan, Curtis Strange, and Willie Anderson. Spaun, who captured his third PGA Tour title at the Texas Open in Apri, has been working on a variation of shots:

# And lastly, tennis: Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka has been awarded a wildcard into the Wimbledon men’s singles draw. The 41-year-old Swiss is retiring at the end of the season. Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov and British players Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Jack Pinnington Jones, and Toby Samuel have also been granted wild cards. In the women’s singles, French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska of Poland has been rewarded for her run in Paris with a wildcard, together with six Brits, including Harriet Dart. Wimbledon begins on the 29th.

Stay tuned for more news………….