Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 15 March 12:30 pm

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

# We kick off with rugby: Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth was named 2023 men’s Player of the Year at the SA Rugby Awards in Johannesburg. He is only the second player to win the award back-to-back. Bok wing Canan Moodie won Young Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, and Libbie Janse van Rensburg walked away with the Springbok Women and Provincial Player of the Year awards. Ricardo Duarttee won Springbok men’s Sevens Player of the Year, and former Bok coach Jacques Nienaber won Coach of the Year.

Meanwhile, France will face England in their last-round Six Nations match in Lyon with a team unchanged from the one that beat Wales 45-24 last weekend. This means usual fullback Thomas Ramos remains in the number ten jersey following injuries to Matthieu Jalibert and Romain Ntamack. Head coach Fabien Galthie has again chosen six forwards and two back players on the bench in order to counter England’s expected physical threat. England is currently second on the log, four points behind Ireland, with France in fourth place.

# Cricket: Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been released by Delhi Capitals for this season’s Indian Premier League which starts next week, due to injury. The 27-year-old sustained a lower back injury during the playoffs of the SA20 last month. Ngidi is currently being monitored by Cricket South Africa’s medical team and undergoing rehab with his provincial team, the Titans. He is expected to return to play next month.

# Golf: Scotland’s Kylie Henry posted a three-under-par 71 to stretch her lead to three shots ahead of the final day of the Ladies Open at Royal Cape in Cape Town today. South Africans Casandra Alexander and Gabrielle Venter are Henry’s closest challengers on five-under-par. SuperSport Ladies Challenge winner Tvesa Malik of India is on four-under-par in a tie for fourth with France’s Emie Peronnin and England’s Florentyna Parker.

# And finally, tennis: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has set up a semifinal clash with Italian Jannik Sinner at Indian Wells. The Spaniard defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev, 6-3, 6-1. Australian Open champion Sinner extended his winning run to 19 matches by beating Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka, 6-3 6-3, to make the last four for the second consecutive year. Sinner says he feels much more confident heading into the semifinals this year:

Stay tuned for more news………….