馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Willemse and Kolbe to earn 50th Springbok caps against England
via The Namibian2 min read
Full-back Damian Willemse and wing Cheslin Kolbe are set to make their 50th appearances for South Africa in a Nations Championship match against England on Saturday at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. This Test is one of six first-round fixtures in the new competition, which features teams from the northern and southern hemispheres. Head coach Rassie Erasmus praised the two players, stating the team aims to make it a "memorable day for them." Injured fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is the only notable absentee from the squad. Manie Libbok will start at fly-half, and Grant Williams will be the starting scrum-half. Thomas du Toit was selected at tighthead prop, while Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth will play at lock due to the unavailability of Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert. Erasmus anticipates a challenging match, noting England's quality and their desire for a strong start to the competition. South Africa recently defeated the Barbarians 80-31 in preparation for the Nations Championship. Following the England match, South Africa will host Scotland on July 11 and Wales seven days later.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Jannik Sinner began his Wimbledon title defense with a five-set victory over Miomir Kecmanovic despite sustaining a foot injury during the match. Sinner, the world number one, recovered from being two sets to one down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 6/8, 6-2, 6-3. He will face Nuno Borges in the second round. In the women's draw, world number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated Teodora Kostovic 6-2, 6-3 in 65 minutes and will play McCartney Kessler next. Naomi Osaka made a notable entrance in a kimono-inspired dress before winning her first-round match against Elsa Jacquemot. Other results included Casper Ruud's defeat to Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev's elimination by Roman Safiullin. Jessica Pegula advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Darja Vidmanova. Novak Djokovic is set to begin his campaign against Wu Yibing.
Must ReadManchester City has appointed Enzo Maresca as its new manager, signing a three-year contract. Maresca, a former Chelsea boss, takes over after Pep Guardiola stepped down at the end of last season. He previously served as an assistant to Guardiola during the 2022-23 season, contributing to City's treble win, and also coached City's elite development squad to a Premier League 2 title. Maresca expressed his familiarity with the club's demands and expectations, stating his eagerness to start coaching and achieve success. His arrival was delayed due to a reported 拢17 million compensation package demanded by Chelsea, where he was still under contract until 2029. Chelsea released a statement indicating Maresca had informed them earlier in the season of a potential opportunity to succeed Guardiola. Maresca, known for his detail-oriented approach and possession-based philosophy, aims to restore City to the top of English football after two years without a Premier League title. He is expected to be active in the transfer market, with reports linking City to Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and Eli Junior Kroupi from Bournemouth.
Substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 95th minute to secure a 2-1 victory for Brazil against Japan, propelling them into the World Cup last 16. The match, played in Houston, saw Japan take a surprising lead in the 29th minute with a solo goal from midfielder Kaishu Sano after a Brazil error. Brazil, five-time champions, equalized 11 minutes after halftime with a header from veteran Casemiro. The second half was dominated by Brazil, who pushed for a winner, eventually finding it through Martinelli's dramatic late strike. Brazil will now face either Ivory Coast or Norway in New Jersey. Japan, despite a strong performance, has never won a knockout game at the World Cup. Neymar was on the bench for Brazil, and Carlo Ancelotti's side faced a resilient Japanese team that had previously beaten Brazil in a friendly.