Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 23 February 12:30 pm

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

# We start with Rugby: The Bulls hope to fill up Loftus when the Stormers visit Pretoria for a United Rugby Championship match next weekend. The hosts want to attract the biggest number of spectators in the URC outside the play-offs. More than 20-thousand of the available 50-thousand tickets have already been sold. The Bulls’ marketing manager, Shanil Mangaroo, says there is huge interest in the traditional north/south derby, regarded as the most bitterly contested duel in the country.

And, in more Rugby news, Scotland coach, Gregor Townsend, says tomorrow’s game against England is their most important one of the season. He has made three changes for the round three match of the Six Nations at Murrayfield. Blair Kinghorn, Kyle Steyn and Jamie Ritchie have all been recalled. Scotland is targeting a fourth successive victory over England for the first time in 52 years. Townsend says playing against their biggest rival at home is something special:

# Swimming: The DA says it will be requesting minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, to launch an independent investigation into Swimming South Africa. This comes as both the men’s and women’s water polo teams have been withdrawn from going to the Olympic Games in Paris, due to their performances at the recent World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar. The DA’s, Veronica van Dyk, says this highlights systemic issues within SA Aquatics:

# Tennis: Former champion Gael Monfils is through to the semifinals of the Qatar Open in Doha. The Frenchman defeated compatriot Ugo Humbert, 6-2, 6-4, to become the oldest semifinalist in the tournament’s history at 37-years-old. Monfils will face 18-year-old Jakub Mensik today for a place in the final. The Czech stunned Russia’s Andrey Rublev, 6-4, 7-6, to reach his maiden tour-level semifinal. In the other semifinal, Australia’s Alexei Popyrin will take on Russia’s Karen Khachanov.

# And finally, Roadrunning: The organisers of the London Marathon have announced it will become the first in the world to offer the same prize money for wheelchair and able-bodied races. The winners of the elite races for able-bodied men and women, and wheelchair men and women, will all receive 1.04-million-rand. Prize money for second place is just under 568-thousand-rand, and for third prize 425-thousand. Eight-time wheelchair champion David Weir of Britain says he hopes other events will make the same decision. The marathon takes place on 21 April.

Stay tuned for more news………….