分类： sports

BALTIMORE – Ahead of this Saturday’s decisive fourth test series decider against New Zealand in Baltimore, South Africa’s Springboks have opted for stability, announcing just two changes to the starting XV that secured a thrilling 29-24 victory over the All Blacks last weekend in Johannesburg.

The only adjustments to the matchday squad come in the backline, where veteran utility back Damian Willemse returns to his regular fullback position to replace the injured Cheslin Kolbe. Kolbe, who filled in for Willemse after the latter picked up a hamstring injury in the series’ second test, has been ruled out of the clash after suffering a broken jaw. The second change sees scrumhalf Morné van den Berg earn his first starting spot of the series, with veteran Cobus Reinach dropping down to the reserve bench.

Notably, the entire Springboks forward pack remains unchanged following their dominant performance in Johannesburg. That win pushed South Africa to a 2-1 series lead, leaving the side just one victory away from claiming the four-test series on neutral American soil.

In an official statement announcing the lineup, Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus explained the decision to retain almost the entire starting combination that delivered back-to-back match wins. “We feel that the team is well settled and all the players delivered in their respective roles in the last two matches, so we believe selecting the same matchday squad, and naming Damian back in his regular position, makes sense,” Erasmus said.

Willemse’s return to the starting lineup comes as a welcome boost for the side, Erasmus added, noting the fullback’s existing chemistry with his teammates will make his transition back into the side seamless. “It’s good to have (Willemse) back. He knows the guys around him very well, so it will simply be a matter of him picking up where he left off before last week,” the coach explained.

For van den Berg, the starting spot is a reward for consistent impact off the bench throughout the series. Erasmus highlighted the young scrumhalf’s strong performances as justification for his promotion to the starting lineup: “He has made a fantastic impact coming off the bench, so he deserves a chance to start.”

The full Springboks lineup for Saturday’s decider is as follows: Starting XV: Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morné van den Berg; Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Ruan Nortjé, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché. Reserves: Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager, André Esterhuizen, Cameron Hanekom, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok.

On New Zealand’s side, multiple key injury setbacks mean major changes to their starting lineup are all but guaranteed when the All Blacks name their side this Thursday. The side has already been forced to rule out three key players: captain and number 8 Ardie Savea (shoulder injury), flanker Luke Jacobson (elbow injury) and center Quinn Tupaea (knee injury), all of whom suffered season-ending injuries in previous matches of the series.

Saturday’s match in Baltimore will mark the final clash of the four-test series, with South Africa holding a one-match advantage looking to close out the series win.

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s national cricket team has confirmed its 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match one-day international (ODI) series against Australia, with star captain Temba Bavuma headlining the selection announced Monday.

Bavuma, who has been given time off to prepare for the Australia series, will not feature in South Africa’s away ODI series against Namibia kicking off this Wednesday, but will step back into his leadership role for the home clash with Australia. The 50-over fixtures are scheduled for September 24, 27 and 30, and will be followed by a three-match Test series between the two sides in October.

In a surprise but welcome addition to the squad, fast bowler Gerald Coetzee earns his first ODI recall since South Africa’s campaign at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup hosted by India. Star batters Quinton de Kock and David Miller have also secured their places in the side, as Cricket South Africa confirmed in an official statement.

All-rounder Aiden Markram, a key middle-order contributor for the Proteas, will only be available for the second and third matches of the Australia series, though no further details on his initial unavailability were shared. The biggest blow to South Africa’s pace attack comes with the absence of star fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who was ruled out of the entire series due to injury.

The full 16-man squad named for the Australia series is: Temba Bavuma (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs.

BERLIN (AP) — In a standout performance that cemented her place in international basketball history, Belgian point guard Julie Allemand has become the all-time assist leader in FIBA Women’s World Cup history, breaking a record that had stood for years. Allemand surpassed former Spanish star Laia Palau’s previous benchmark of 108 career assists during the first half of Belgium’s 80-68 victory against Australia, a win that locked in Belgium’s place in the tournament’s quarterfinal round. By the end of the match, Allemand had pushed her career World Cup assist total to 111, a mark that now outpaces not only Palau but also two of the most legendary names in women’s basketball: Dawn Staley and Sue Bird.

Speaking after the game, Allemand framed her historic achievement as a reflection of her national team’s collective playing style rather than an individual win. “I’m just so proud because for Belgium, this is how we play,” she said. “We are so unselfish. I’m just happy to have that one as a special one, especially when you look at the names next to me.”

Belgium head coach Mike Thibault emphasized the magnitude of Allemand’s milestone during the postgame press conference, singling out the guard for her consistent playmaking prowess. “It’s a huge accomplishment over here,” Thibault said. “The leading assist person in World Cup history after today. Some pretty good players on that list too, so I think that’s pretty exciting.”

Entering the 2024 tournament, Allemand already held 87 career World Cup assists. She added 24 more in the opening three games of this year’s event, setting the stage for her record-breaking play. The milestone assist came with 1:58 remaining in the first half, when Allemand set up teammate Emma Meesseman, who was fouled and sank both of her resulting free throws. Unlike WNBA rules, FIBA officially credits an assist to the player who creates the scoring opportunity even when the basket comes via foul shots, allowing Allemand to officially claim the record on that play.

An interesting subplot to the match: Allemand currently plays alongside Australia head coach Sandy Brondello in the WNBA, where the pair leads the Toronto Tempo. Brondello made clear after the game that Allemand’s historic achievement came as no shock to her, pointing to the guard’s well-known selfless playing style. “I think it says a lot about what she does, she’s a pass-first point guard,” Brondello said.

BERLIN – The final round of group stage matches at the Women’s FIBA World Cup delivered two dramatic results on Monday, as star forward Emma Meesseman powered Belgium to a first-place finish in Group C, while a fourth-quarter comeback from Puerto Rico knocked Turkey out of the tournament entirely.

Led by their standout Meesseman, who notched an impressive double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, European champion Belgium pulled away from Australia to secure an 80-68 win. The contest remained tight through the first three quarters, with Belgium holding only a five-point edge as the teams entered the final period. A blistering 11-2 opening run to start the fourth quarter pushed the Belgian advantage into double figures, a gap Australia’s Opals could not close despite repeated pushback attempts. A raucous, pro-Belgian home-away-from-home crowd filled the arena, waving national flags and roaring for their side throughout the decisive run.

With the top seed in Group C, Belgium earns a direct spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals and will not return to action until Thursday. Australia, which finished second in the group, will face a do-or-die playoff match on Wednesday against the winner of the late Group D game between Italy and China, scheduled for later that same day.

In the other upset of Monday’s action, Puerto Rico mounted a stunning late comeback to defeat Turkey 75-71, booking their own spot in the playoff round and ending Turkey’s World Cup run. Guard Arella Guirantes led all Puerto Rican scorers with 21 points, including two game-clinching free throws in the final seconds that sealed the victory despite loud efforts from Turkey’s fan section at Berlin’s Max-Schmeling-Halle to distract her.

Trailing by seven points as the fourth quarter got underway, Puerto Rico turned the game around behind strong play from Imani McGee-Stafford and guard Pamela Rosado. After McGee-Stafford drew Puerto Rico within striking distance, Rosado knocked back-to-back three-pointers to give the underdog side a 59-58 lead they would never relinquish. Puerto Rico will next face the winner of the Italy-China Group D matchup in their playoff contest on Wednesday.

Monday’s results capped the first wave of final group stage matches, with the remaining groups set to decide their standings in games later that day. The tournament’s structure guarantees the four group winners an automatic berth in the eight-team quarterfinals, while second and third-place finishers compete in single-elimination playoffs on Tuesday and Wednesday to fill the remaining four quarterfinal spots. The lowest-finishing teams in each group are eliminated from the competition immediately.

In Group A, all four teams remain in contention for every possible standing heading into their final matches: hosts Germany (1-1) face Mali (1-1), while 2022 runner-up Spain (1-1) takes on Japan (1-1). Any of the four squads can still claim the group’s top spot and an automatic quarterfinal spot, or finish at the bottom of the group and exit the tournament entirely.

Group B’s top seed France already locked in a quarterfinal spot with two prior wins, and will close out group play against winless, already-eliminated Nigeria. The battle for the group’s second seed and a playoff spot will go to the final game between Hungary and South Korea, both holding 1-1 records heading into kickoff.

In Group D, Italy came within a last-second basket of upsetting defending champion the United States on Sunday night, and will face 1-1 China on Monday evening to decide second place. The United States (2-0) already locked in an automatic quarterfinal spot and will close group play against the Czech Republic, which has already been eliminated after two opening losses.