Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 14 September 12:30 pm

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

# We start with rugby: The Springboks have reached their highest-ever points total in the world rugby rankings following their 43-28 triumph over the All Blacks in Baltimore. The victory, which sealed the series 3-1, earned South Africa another 0.75 ranking points, taking them to 95.09 and extending their buffer at the top of the world rankings. This is the Boks’ highest points tally since the rankings were introduced in 2003. New Zealand remains second, with Ireland third, France fourth, and England wrapping up the top five.

# Cricket: The Proteas cruised to a nine-wicket victory in the third and final one-day match against Namibia in Windhoek, to complete a 3-0 sweep in the first-ever bilateral ODI series between the two teams. The homeside were bowled out for 156, with stand-in captain Bjorn Fortuin taking four wickets. In reply, Jordan Hermann led from the front with 77 off 59 balls, while Connor Esterhuizen provided steady support with an unbeaten, run-a-ball 68, as the Proteas reached the target inside 22 overs.

# Motorsport: Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his Formula One drivers’ championship lead, with nine races remaining. The Italian benefitted from pit-stop misfortune for McLaren’s Lando Norris to claim his eighth victory of the season. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second, Norris third and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth. Antonelli is now 81 points ahead of teammate George Russell, who finished fifth, and 101 clear of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who retired early in the race with brake failure.

# Golf: Home crowd favourite Shane Lowry secured a record eleven-shot victory at the Irish Open. The 39-year-old finishes 23 under par and win his seventh career title and his second Irish Open triumph. American Patrick Reed and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann shared second place on 12 under. Northern Irishman and defending champion Rory McIlroy finished in a disappointing tie for 41st, 22 shots adrift of the winner. Lowry describes his victory as spectacular:

# And lastly, tennis: Top seed Alexander Zverev overcame home favourite, eighth-seeded Ben Shelton, to win his maiden US Open title. The German captured his second Grand Slam title. The 29-year-old has now become just the fourth man in the Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season after lifting the Roland Garros trophy in June. Zverev says 2026 is the outcome of all the years he has struggled:

Stay tuned for more news………….