Junior Springboks wallop Wales to reach Junior World Championship sem…

The Junior Springboks’ defence of their Junior World Championship title is still on track after they qualified for the semi-finals with a 52-33 victory (half-time 26-14) over Wales in Tbilisi on Tuesday, but they will be the first to admit there is work to be done.

Although the SA U20s outscored the Welsh by eight tries to five in the Georgian capital to top Pool A, they will have to work hard at eradicating a number of basic errors before their semi-final against England next Monday, 13 July.

France will take on New Zealand in the other semi-final, also next Monday. ipltable.lol

READ | Springbok brothers’ prize bull fetches whopping R1.1 million

Slow start

After a very slow start, in which Wales scored two converted tries in the opening 10 minutes, the Junior Springboks started finding their rhythm and played with more confidence.

They scored four great tries without reply before the break, but a couple of errors due to over-eagerness in Welsh red zone cost them more points, while some weak moments of defence also allowed Wales to stay in the contest.

Hendre Schoeman went over after a brilliant scrum by the Junior Boks to open the scoring in the 12th minute, and five minutes later Ethan Adams also crossed the whitewash.

The big centre chipped into space, Yaqeen Ahmed collected and then passed back to Adams who raced clear. Both were converted by Ahmed and parity was restored at 14-14.

Took the lead

Wales were feeling the pressure and when Siphosethu Mnebelele was driven over in the 26th minute, South Africa took the lead.

When Wales tighthead prop Jac Pritchard was sin-binned after half an hour, the SA U20s pounced with Heinrich Theron going over for their second try from a driving maul to make it 26-14 at the break.

Risima Khosa scored a superb try out on the right wing early in the second half to push the Junior Boks past 30 points, but when Cheswill Jooste was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-down, Wales pounced.

Will Evans went over but the try was cancelled by the TMO, but minutes later Osian Lewis did the damage when the SA U20s’ defence was under pressure.

Mauled over

Liam van Wyk clawed one back for the Junior Springboks when he was mauled over, but moments later Tom Bowen scored Wales’ fourth try, again with the South African defence not razor sharp. The conversion was wide, and the score 38-26.

Van Wyk then scored almost a carbon copy of his first try to settle some Junior Bok nerves, with Ahmed’s conversion making it a 19-point game with 18 minutes to go.

Mnebelele, who came back onto the field for Van Wyk, scored his second – also from a lineout drive – in the 67th minute and Ahmed’s conversion made it 52-26.

Things got a bit scrappy after that try and Mbebelele was yellow carded for making contact with a Welsh player at a ruck, but it was not upgraded to red.

Playing with a numerical advantage at the end as the SA U20s lost an extra player when the game went to uncontested scrums, as Van Wyk could not return and Alzeadon Felix left the field, Lewis Edwards scored Wales’ fifth, which was how things ended.

Scorers

Junior Springboks

Tries: Hendre Schoeman, Ethan Adams, Siphosethu Mnebelele (2), Heinrich Theron, Risima Khosa, Liam van Wyk (2)

Conversions: Yaqeen Ahmed (6)

Wales

Tries: Caio James, Steffan Emanuel, Osian Lewis, Tom Bowen, Lewis Edwards

Conversions: Carwyn Jones (4)

DIXINN- Le Hafia FC tient sa première recrue d’avant-saison. Soriba Camara en provenance du CI Kamsar, vient de s’engager pour les deux prochaines saisons avec le Hafia FC, ce mardi 7 juillet 2026. Le milieu de terrain défensif guinéen qui fait l’objet de plusieurs convoitises, a choisi l’équipe du président Kerfalla Camara KPC.

Une première recrue qui débarque avant l’officialisation de nouveaux renforts qui viendront étoffer l’effectif du Hafia en vue de la saison prochaine, et surtout, pour espérer intégrer les poules de la coupe CAF que le club jouera jouera.

A préciser que le vice-champion de Guinée a aussi recruté un nouvel entraîneur, il s’agit du technicien Sénégalais Cheick Gueye, qui conduira les destinées de l’équipe de Babata la saison prochaine.

Guineefoot

LONDON, United kingdom, Jul 7 – Coco Gauff surprised even herself by overcoming her recent grass-court struggles to reach a first Wimbledon semi-final with a battling victory over Jessica Pegula.

Two-time Grand Slam singles champion Gauff had never previously gone beyond the fourth round at the All England Club and suffered a first-round exit last year.

The American arrived at this year’s championships having not won a singles match on a grass court since the third round of Wimbledon in 2024.

However, she recovered from an error-strewn start against world number four Pegula to win 4-6 6-3 6-3.

The 22-year-old is the youngest player to reach the semi-finals at all four Grand Slams since Maria Sharapova, who achieved that feat at the 2007 French Open.

Gauff’s past four matches have all gone to three sets but the seventh seed’s fighting spirit and supreme athleticism has seen her through to the last four.

“It feels really special considering the results I’ve had of late, especially on this surface,” Gauff said.

“I think I’m able to relax a bit because I just feel, regardless of how the rest of this tournament goes, I’ve found a breakthrough on grass.

“I’m just proud of myself. Obviously I’m not satisfied – I want to go all the way.”

Gauff will face Karolina Muchova for a place in the final after the Czech 10th seed ended Naomi Osaka’s impressive run in a high-quality contest.

Muchova reached a first Wimbledon semi-final – having lost at this stage in 2019 and 2021 – with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win over Japan’s Osaka on Court One.

Gauff appeared visibly frustrated as she was hindered by four double faults and 17 unforced errors in the opening set.

But as she has done all tournament, the seventh seed showed excellent fighting spirit to become the first woman to reach the singles semi-finals with four three-set wins for 30 years.

When her victory was confirmed, Gauff turned to her team and asked “how?”.

“I’m confident in myself and the player that I am, but I know tennis. If I wasn’t myself, I would [pick] her to win that game with the style she has on this surface,” said Gauff, explaining that reaction.

“But because I am me, I pick myself. I think it was just more so that reaction came from like a third-person point of view, rather than necessarily me in the moment.

After an excellent opening set, Pegula was ultimately punished for failing to take her opportunities early in the second, having forced three break points in her opponent’s first two games.

The momentum flipped when Gauff capitalised on a poor game from Pegula, breaking to love and maintaining her composure to battle back from 0-30 down as she served out the set to level the match.

The topsy-turvy nature of the contest continued in the final set, but it was Gauff who was able to raise her level when it mattered.

The 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open champion offered an immediate response to take a 4-3 lead after Pegula had broken back, and celebrated victory on Pegula’s serve with a first match point.

The loss means Pegula’s wait for a first Grand Slam singles title goes on – and she may be left to rue a missed opportunity.

Muchova ends Osaka’s run

Osaka has been one of the stories of this year’s championships, proving a showstopper both on and off the court.

The 28-year-old four-time major winner stunned world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a brilliant performance to reach the last eight and has dazzled crowds with her various walk-on outfits – including paying tribute to her nation’s culture in a kimono.

But that impressive run came to an end against Muchova, who raised her level to dominate the first-set tie-break before ending Osaka’s resistance deep in the second set.

Muchova was solid from the back of the court and made significantly fewer unforced errors (21) than her opponent (32) to edge a competitive match, defined by beautiful ball-striking as both players landed 24 winners.

MOSCOW, Russia, Jul 7 – Russian athletes could be allowed to compete for their country at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted their suspension.

The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee in 2023 in response to the war in Ukraine.

But it says that ban is “no longer applicable”, external and athletes from Russia can compete again as long as they “meet relevant anti-doping requirements”.

No decision has yet been taken on whether Russia can display its flag, colours and anthem at the Olympic ‌Games.

The IOC said it will continue to “not organise IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to its events”.

Some Russian athletes competed at both the 2024 Paris Games and this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan as neutrals.

Just 32 athletes from Russia and Belarus competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics as approved neutrals, and combined to win five medals. The Russian team had more than 300 athletes at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and won 71 medals.

Russia welcomed the IOC’s decision, saying the Games must be “free from politics”.

“The IOC is sending a clear signal: the Olympic movement must remain free from politics,” Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev said on Telegram, adding that Russia planned to participate in qualifiers for the 2028 Olympics.

The IOC says it still “strongly condemns” the Russian invasion of Ukraine but “recognises that an athlete’s participation in international competition should not be limited by the involvement of their government in a war or conflict”.

In May, World Athletics rejected a recommendation by the IOC that a ban on Belarusian athletes and teams competing under the flag of their nation should be lifted.

Analysis: A controversial decision – but not a surprise

Given Russia’s war with Ukraine continues, this will be a highly controversial decision by the IOC, and one likely to be condemned by European countries in particular.

However, it is not a surprise.

In February, IOC president Kirsty Coventry spoke about the importance of keeping sport, “a neutral ground – a place where every athlete can compete freely, without being held back by the politics or divisions of their governments.”

Although she did not directly reference any particular country, the comments were widely interpreted to be hinting at a potential lifting of the partial Olympic ban on Russia, and it soon became clear that the IOC was considering reinstatement.

In March, came another crucial step when the International Paralympic Committee ended Russia’s long exile from global sports events, with the country’s athletes allowed to compete under their national flag at the Winter Paralympics for the first time since 2014.

The decision was condemned by Ukraine and other European countries but it paved the way for the IOC to follow suit.

It will have noted no athletes boycotted the actual Paralympic competition, although some did stay away from the opening ceremony, and it will be interesting to see whether the same happens in Los Angeles.

The IOC has always insisted Russia was banned not because of the invasion per se, but because the Russian Olympic Committee effectively took over regional sports organisations in occupied Ukrainian territories.

It now claims that this is no longer the case, and so legally the ban should not stand.

What has gone unsaid is that many within the IOC were also mindful of the current geopolitical landscape, and accusations of double-standards if the sanction against Russia was maintained, while other countries who have launched military action against other nations escape punishment.

Critics however will insist that Russia’s ban should only end when and if it withdraws from Ukraine, and that the IOC’s move risks emboldening President Vladimir Putin, and handing him a propaganda win.

Argentina survived an enormous scare on Tuesday after overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a dramatic FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash at Atlanta Stadium.

The defending champions scored three times in the final 11 minutes to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Egypt made the brighter start and deservedly took the lead in the 15th minute. Yasser Ibrahim lost his marker from a corner before powering a header beyond Emiliano Martínez to give the African side a 1-0 advantage.

Argentina had the perfect chance to equalise five minutes later after winning a penalty. However, Mostafa Shobeir produced a superb save to deny Lionel Messi, who missed from the spot for the second time during the tournament.

Egypt looked set for one of the biggest upsets in FIFA World Cup history when Mohamed Salah launched a quick counterattack in the 67th minute. The forward slipped the ball into the path of Mostafa Zico, who calmly finished to double the Pharaohs’ advantage.

ARGENTINA COMEBACK FOR THE AGES

With their title defence hanging by a thread, Argentina launched an all-out attack. Cristian Romero sparked the comeback in the 79th minute by heading home an accurate delivery from Messi to reduce the deficit.

The equaliser arrived only four minutes later as Messi redeemed himself for his earlier penalty miss. The captain reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the area and smashed his effort into the net to level the score at 2-2.

Enzo Fernández then completed one of the most memorable comebacks of the tournament in stoppage time. The midfielder rose highest to head home Lautaro Martínez’s looping cross in the 93rd minute, sending the defending champions through to the last eight.

Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo close to tears as FIFA World Cup dream ends

WHAT THE RESULT MEANS

The defeat ends Egypt’s impressive campaign and leaves Morocco as the last remaining African nation in the FIFA World Cup. Argentina, meanwhile, advances directly to the quarter-finals and will travel to Kansas City Stadium on Saturday, 11 July.

They will face the winner of the Round of 16 encounter between Switzerland and Colombia as Lionel Scaloni’s men continue their quest to retain the FIFA World Cup trophy.