2016 – The Year Ahead

CRICKET

One Day International Series
Australia vs India at The WACA Ground, Perth (Tue, Jan 12 at 2:20pm)
Australia vs India at The Gabba, Brisbane (Fri, Jan 15 at 2:20pm)
Australia vs India at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sun, Jan 17 at 2:20pm)
Australia vs India at Manuka Oval, Canberra (Wed, Jan 20 at 2:20pm)
Australia vs India at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Sat, Jan 23 at 2:20pm)

Twenty20 Series
Australia vs India at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (Tue, Jan 26 at 6:38pm)
Australia vs India at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Fri, Jan 29 at 7:38pm)
Australia vs India at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Sun, Jan 31 at 7:38pm)

One Day Series
3 ODIs: Australia vs New Zealand in New Zealand (February)

Test Series
2 Tests: Australia vs New Zealand in New Zealand (February)

Twenty20 Series
3 T20Is: Australia vs South Africa in South Africa (March)

ICC World Twenty20 (Tue, Mar 8 – Sun, Apr 3)
Australia vs New Zealand at Dharamsala, India (Fri, Mar 18)
Australia vs TBC (Qualifier) at Bangalore, India (Mon, Mar 21)
Australia vs Pakistan at Chandigarh, India (Fri, Mar 25)
Australia vs India at Chandigarh, India (Sun, Mar 27)
(Final to be played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India)
Current champion: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka – World T20 Champions 2014

One Day Tri-Series
Australia / West Indies / South Africa in South Africa (June)

 

RUGBY UNION

Test Series
Australia vs England at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia (Sat, Jun 11)
Australia vs England at AAMI Park, Melbourne (Sat, Jun 18)
Australia vs England at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Jun 25)

The Rugby Championship / Bledisloe Cup
Australia vs New Zealand at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia (Sat, Aug 20)
Australia vs New Zealand at Westpac Centre, Wellington, New Zealand (Sat, Aug 27)
Australia vs South Africa at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia (Sat, Sep 10)
Australia vs Argentina at nib Stadium, Perth, Australia (Sat, Sep 17)
Australia vs South Africa at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa (Sat, Oct 1)
Australia vs Argentina at Venue TBC (Sat, Oct 8)
Australia vs New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand (Sat, Oct 22)

The Wallabies celebrate winning the 2015 Rugby Championship

Autumn Internationals
Australia vs Wales at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (Sat, Nov 5)
Australia vs Scotland at Murrayfield, Edinburgh (Sat, Nov 12)
Australia vs France at Stade De France, Paris (Sat, Nov 19)
Australia vs Ireland at Aviva Stadium, Dublin (Sat, Nov 26)
Australia vs England at Twickenham Stadium, London (Sat, Dec 3)

*Times TBC; venues subject to change

 

TENNIS

Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia (Mon, Jan 18 – Sun, Jan 31)
2015 winners: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) and Serena Williams (USA)

French Open at Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France (Sun, May 22 – Sun, Jun 5)
2015 winners: Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) and Serena Williams (USA)

Wimbledon Championships at The All England Club, London, England (Mon, 27 Jun – Sun 10 July)
2015 winners: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) and Serena Williams (USA)

US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, New York, USA (Mon, Aug 29 – Sun, Sep 11)
2015 winners: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) and Flavia Pennetta (Italy)

Novak Djokovic had a sensational 2015, winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open (pictured)

RUGBY LEAGUE

NRL Round 1: Thu, 3 Mar – Mon, 7 Mar
Grand Final: Sun, Oct 2
2015 winner: North Queensland Cowboys

State of Origin I: NSW vs QLD at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Wed, Jun 1)
State of Origin II: NSW vs QLD at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Wed, Jun 22)
State of Origin III: NSW vs QLD at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Wed, Jul 13)
2015 winner: QLD

North Queensland Cowboys – 2015 NRL Premiers

AFL

Round 1: Thu, Mar 24 – Mon, Mar 28
Grand Final: Sat, Oct 1
2015 winner: Hawthorn Hawks

The Hawthorn Hawks won their third straight premiership in 2015

NETBALL

England Tour
Australia vs England at Echo Arena, Liverpool, England (Thu, Jan 21 at 6:30am)
Australia vs England at Copper Box Arena, London, England (Sat, Jan 23 at 6:30am)
Australia vs England at Copper Box Arena, London, England (Mon, Jan 25 at 5:30am)
*All times AEDST

The Australian Diamonds – 2015 World Cup winners

GOLF

Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, USA (Thu, Apr 7 – Sun, Apr 10)
2015 winner: Jordan Spieth (USA)

US Open at Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania, USA (Thu, Jun 16 – Sun, Jun 19)
2015 winner: Jordan Spieth (USA)

British Open at Royal Troon Golf Club, Ayrshire, Scotland (Thu, Jul 14 – Sun, Jul 17)
2015 winner: Zach Johnson (USA)

US PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club, New Jersey, USA (Thu, Aug 13 – Sun, Aug 16)
2015 winner: Jason Day (Australia)

Jason Day won his first major tournament at the 2015 US PGA Championship

FORMULA 1

1st race: Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia (Sun, Mar 20)
2015 race winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2015 Drivers Championship winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes – 381 points)
2015 Constructors Championship winner: Mercedes (703 points)

2015 – The Year Ahead

CRICKET

Test Series

4th Test: Australia vs India at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Tue, Jan 6 at 10:30am)

One Day International Tri-Series

Australia vs England at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Fri, Jan 16 at 2:20pm)

Australia vs India at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sun, Jan 18 at 2:20pm)

Australia vs England at Blundstone Arena, Hobart (Fri, Jan 23 at 2:20pm)

Australia vs India at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Mon, Jan 26 at 2:20pm)

 

ICC Cricket World Cup (Sat, Feb 14 – Sun, Mar 29)

Australia vs England at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia (Sat, Feb 14 at 2:30pm)

Australia vs Bangladesh at The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia (Sat, Feb 21 at 2:30pm)

Australia vs New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand (Sat, Feb 28 at 12:00pm)

Australia vs Afghanistan at WACA, Perth, Australia (Wed, Mar 4 at 5:30pm)

Australia vs Sri Lanka at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia (Sun, Mar 8 at 2:30pm)

Australia vs Scotland at Blundstone Arena, Hobart, Australia (Sat, Mar 14 at 2:30pm)

(Final to be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)

Current holders: India

*All times AEDST

Australia last won the World Cup in 2007, when they defeated Sri Lanka in the final

 

 

Test Series

2 Tests: Australia vs West Indies in West Indies (June)

5 Tests: Australia vs England in England (July – August)

One Day Series

1 ODI: Australia vs Ireland in Ireland (August)

5 ODIs: Australia vs England in England (September)

Twenty20 Series

1 T20: Australia vs England in Wales (August)

 

RUGBY UNION

The Rugby Championship:

Australia vs South Africa at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia (Sat, Jul 18)

Australia vs Argentina at Venue TBC (Sun, Jul 26)

Australia vs New Zealand at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia (Sat, Aug 8)

Australia vs New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand (Sat, Aug 15)

*Times and venues subject to change

 

Rugby World Cup: Fri, Sep 18 – Sat, Oct 31

Australia vs Fiji at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales (Wed, Sep 23 at 4:45pm)

Australia vs Uruguay at Villa Park, Birmingham, England (Sun, Sep 27 at 12:00pm)

Australia vs England at Twickenham, London, England (Sat, Oct 3 at 8:00pm)

Australia vs Wales at Twickenham, London, England (Sat, Oct 10 at 4:45pm)

(Final to be played at Twickenham, London, England)

Current holders: New Zealand

*All times GMT

Australia last won the World Cup in 1999, when they defeated France 35-12 in the final

 

 

TENNIS

Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia (Mon, Jan 19 – Sun, Feb 1)

2014 winners: Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) and Li Na (China)

French Open at Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France (Sun, May 24 – Sun, Jun 7)

2014 winners: Rafael Nadal (Spain) and Maria Sharapova (Russia)

Wimbledon Championships at The All England Club, London, England (Mon, 29 Jun – Sun 12 July)

2014 winners: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) and Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)

US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, New York, USA (Mon, Aug 31 – Sun, Sep 13)

2014 winners: Marin Cilic (Croatia) and Serena Williams (USA)

 

RUGBY LEAGUE

NRL Round 1: Thu, 5 Mar – Mon, 9 Mar

2014 winner: South Sydney Rabbitohs

 

State of Origin I: NSW vs QLD at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Wed, May 27)

State of Origin II: NSW vs QLD at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Wed, Jun 17)

State of Origin III: NSW vs QLD at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Wed, Jul 8)

2014 winner: NSW

 

AFL

Round 1: Thu, Apr 2 – Mon, Apr 6

Grand Final: Sat, Oct 3

2014 winner: Hawthorn Hawks

 

GOLF

Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, USA (Thu, Apr 9 – Sun, Apr 12)

2014 winner: Bubba Watson (USA)

US Open at Chambers Bay, Washington, USA (Thu, Jun 18 – Sun, Jun 21)

2014 winner: Martin Kaymer (Germany)

British Open at Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland (Thu, Jul 16 – Sun, Jul 19)

2014 winner: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)

US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, USA (Thu, Aug 13 – Sun, Aug 16)

2014 winner: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)

 

FORMULA 1

1st race: Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia (Sun, Mar 15)

2014 race winner: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2014 Drivers Championship winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes – 384 points)

2014 Constructors Championship winner: Mercedes (701 points)

 

The Week to September 29

RUGBY LEAGUE

This year’s NRL Grand Final will be contested by the third-placed South Sydney Rabbitohs and the seventh-placed Canterbury Bulldogs, after both teams posted victories in their preliminary finals over the weekend. The clash will be the first time the two teams have met in the decider since 1967, when the Rabbitohs won 12-10.

On Friday night, the Rabbitohs played the Roosters in a contest many thought would be the one determining the premiers for 2014. In front of more than 52,000 fans at ANZ Stadium, the Roosters got off to a flying start thanks to two tries in the opening 10 minutes – one following a scything 35m run by halfback Mitchell Pearce, and the other after a spectacular Anthony Minichiello catch off a Pearce bomb. The Rabbitohs dominated possession and field position for the next twenty minutes and managed to erase the 12-point deficit by the half-hour mark, but ill discipline prevented them from going in front before the break. Daniel Tupou crossed for the Roosters just over a minute before halftime, but the video referee picked up a slight knock-on in the lead-up, and the try was disallowed, leaving the score at 12-all after the first 40 minutes.

Four minutes after the break, a powerful run from Ben Te’o put Souths in the lead for the first time, and after a Greg Inglis double in the space of fifteen minutes and an Adam Reynolds penalty goal, the Rabbitohs had scored 32 unanswered points to lead 32-12 with seven minutes to play. The Roosters scored two very late consolation tries, including one to Minichiello, in a fitting end to a glittering, record-breaking 302-game career. The Rabbitohs’ 32-22 win means they will play in the Grand Final for the first time since 1971, and denies the Roosters a chance at being the first team to secure back-to-back premierships since the Brisbane Broncos achieved the feat in 1997-98.

Rabbitohs players celebrate after Greg Inglis scores a try in his side’s 32-22 victory over the Roosters

In the other preliminary final, the Bulldogs played the Panthers in a brutal encounter in front of 46,000 fans at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. Both sides producing some ferocious defence in the opening ten minutes which set the tone for the remainder of the match. The Bulldogs were first on the scoreboard fifteen minutes into the match, thanks to a barnstorming charge from James Graham, and when Josh Jackson crossed ten minutes later, they held a commanding 12-0 advantage. The Panthers slowly fought their way into the game, and when Matt Moylan scored with just over a minute left in the half, the Panthers found themselves down by just six points at the break.

Both sides had opportunities to add to their tallies early in the second stanza, but the scorers weren’t troubled until the 57th minute, when Dale Finucane touched down next to the posts to put the Bulldogs up 18-6. A 72nd-minute try to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak from a Jamie Soward bomb, not dissimilar to Minichiello’s first try in the Rabbitohs-Roosters clash, kept the Panthers alive, but the Bulldogs defence stayed strong, and the Panthers were unable to find the points to force extra-time. The Bulldogs 18-12 victory sees them advance to the Grand Final for the second time in three years, following their loss to the Melbourne Storm in 2012.

James Graham was instrumental in the Bulldogs’ 18-12 win over the Panthers

Next week will mark the Rabbitohs’ 34th Grand Final appearance, 20 of which have resulted in victories, whilst for the Bulldogs, it will be their 18th appearance, 8 of which they have won.

Upcoming fixture – Grand Final:

Rabbitohs (3rd) vs Bulldogs (7th) at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Sun, Oct 5 at 7:20pm)

*All times AEDST

 

AFL

The Hawthorn Hawks have been crowned 2014 AFL Premiers after thumping the Sydney Swans by 63 points in the Grand Final over the weekend. In front of nearly 100,000 fans at the MCG, the Hawks claimed back-to-back premierships for the second time in the club’s 90-season history, following their win over Fremantle last year. The Swans kicked two of the first three goals of the match and led midway through the first term, but that was as good as it got for the visitors. The Hawks suffocated the Swans and forced them into uncharacteristic errors across the park, and by the end of the first quarter, they had built a handy 20-point advantage. The Swans kicked the first goal of the second term, but Hawthorn kicked six of the next eight goals to increase their advantage to 42 points at the major break. The Hawks did not let up after halftime, kicking five goals to three in both of the last two quarters to become just the third team in history to kick five goals in each quarter of a Grand Final (Geelong in 2007 and Richmond in a losing cause in 1972 were the other teams to achieve the feat.)

Hawthorn’s 21.11 (137) to 11.8 (74) was their third premiership in the last seven seasons, and their twelfth overall. Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge was best on ground, becoming just the third player in VFL/AFL history to win two Norm Smith Medals. The Grand Final was his 250th match, and the win was his third premiership, and second as captain. For the Hawks, Jarryd Roughead kicked five goals, whilst Buddy Franklin kicked four for the Swans.

The Hawthorn Hawks – 2014 AFL Premiers

 

RUGBY UNION

South Africa defeated Australia 28-10

New Zealand defeated Argentina 34-13

Current standings – Round 5 of 6:

Upcoming fixtures – The Rugby Championship – Round 6 of 6:

South Africa vs New Zealand at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa (Sun, Oct 5 at 1:05am)

Argentina vs Australia at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza, Argentina (Sun, Oct 5 at 8:40am)

*All times AEDST

 

The Week to September 22

RUGBY LEAGUE

Two semi-finals, two one-point thrillers. The second week of NRL finals saw stirring comebacks from the Cowboys and the Sea Eagles, but unfortunately for those two teams, they weren’t enough to overcome the Roosters and Bulldogs respectively, who both move through to the preliminary finals next week.

The Roosters sped out of the blocks in their match against the Cowboys, racing to a 30-0 lead in a near-perfect opening 33 minutes. A mistake from Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello led to the Cowboys’ first try in the 35th minute, and another try two minutes later meant the score at halftime was 30-12. The Cowboys kept the momentum after the break, scoring three tries in quick succession to level the scores at 30-all with twenty minutes remaining.  After 60 points in 60 minutes, neither side could break the deadlock until James Maloney calmly slotted a field goal in the 76th minute to put the Roosters up by one point. One final Cowboys raid down the right touchline ended with Johnathan Thurston picking up a loose ball and racing nearly thirty metres to cross the line, but the try was disallowed, with the video referee ruling there had been a knock-on in the lead-up. The slightly controversial call ended the Cowboys’ hopes of completing the biggest comeback in NRL history, with the result meaning the Roosters will meet the Rabbitohs in the first preliminary final next week.

James Maloney’s 76th-minute field goal proved to be the difference in the Roosters’ 31-30 semi-final win over the Cowboys

The Bulldogs started their match in a similar fashion to the Roosters, crossing for three early tries to jump out to a 16-0 lead inside the opening twenty minutes of their clash against the Sea Eagles. Jayden Hodges hit back for Manly on the stroke of halftime to close the gap to ten, and after a scoreless 25-minute period to start the second stanza, the Sea Eagles scored back-to-back tries to tie the scores at 16-all with less than ten minutes to play. Trent Hodkinson kicked a field goal in the 75th minute to put the Bulldogs back in the lead, but Daly Cherry-Evans kicked one of his own with just over a minute remaining to force extra time. Two minutes into the golden-point period, Brett Stewart had a chance to win the game for Manly but his field goal attempt sailed wide, and one minute later, Trent Hodkinson kicked another field goal to seal an 18-17 victory for the Bulldogs and set up a preliminary final clash with the Panthers.

Of the four sides in the preliminary finals, three have won premierships in the last 12 years (Roosters in 2002 and 2013, Panthers in 2003, Bulldogs in 2004), whilst the Rabbitohs are looking for their first competition win since they beat St George in the 1971 decider.

Upcoming fixtures – Preliminary Finals:

Rabbitohs (3rd) vs Roosters (1st) at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Fri, Sep 26 at 7:55pm)

Panthers (4th) vs Bulldogs (7th) at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Sep 27 at 7:55pm)

*All times AEST

AFL

After a weekend of contrasting preliminary finals, the 2014 AFL Grand Final combatants have been decided. The Sydney Swans dominated their match against the North Melbourne Kangaroos, reversing their 43-point loss to the same team in Round 4, whilst the Hawthorn Hawks survived a huge scare against a fast-finishing Port Adelaide Power to qualify for their third successive Grand Final.

The Swans started their match slowly but from the 15-minute mark of the first quarter, they were never headed, building a 21-point lead by quarter time, and extending that advantage to 36 points by halftime. North Melbourne had come into the clash on a six-game winning streak, but they were no match for the minor premiers, who outclassed their opponents all over the park and eventually ran out 71-point winners, 19.22 (136) – 9.11 (65). Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin continued his good form of late, kicking five goals and finishing best-on-ground, whilst teammate Kurt Tippett kicked four goals and Adam Goodes kicked three in his 350th match for the Swans.

Lance Franklin kicked five goals in the Swans’ 71-point preliminary final thumping of the Kangaroos

Despite losing their only previous match against them this year, the Hawks were expected to account for Port Adelaide in the second preliminary final, but it was the Power who started stronger, posting a 12-point quarter time lead which would have been greater but for some inaccurate kicking. The Hawks made them pay dearly for their wastefulness, taking an 11-point lead into the halftime break despite having four less scoring shots. Slowly but surely, Hawthorn’s advantage grew until halfway through the final quarter, when they held what should have been a comfortable, match-winning 29-point lead. But as they have done all year, the Power finished the match strongly, kicking four goals in eight minutes to close the margin to four with under three minutes remaining. In the end, they ran out of time, and on the back of a sublime performance from Jarryd Roughead, who kicked six goals, Hawthorn held on for a nailbiting 15.7 (97) – 13.16 (94) victory.

The Grand Final next week will be contested by the top two teams of 2014, who also played the 2012 decider, which was won by the Swans 91-81.

Upcoming fixture – Grand Final:

Sydney (1st) vs Hawthorn (2nd) at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sat, Sep 27 at 2:30pm)

*All times AEST

RUGBY UNION

Current standings – Round 4 of 6:

Upcoming fixtures – The Rugby Championship – Round 5 of 6:

South Africa vs Australia at Newlands Rugby Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa (Sun, Sep 28 at 1:05am)

Argentina vs New Zealand at Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina (Sun, Sep 28 at 8:10am)

*All times AEST

OTHER NEWS

FORMULA 1: Australian Daniel Ricciardo has secured yet another podium result in the Formula 1 World Championship, this time finishing third at the Singapore Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton claimed his seventh win of the year, finishing 13.5 seconds ahead of Ricciardo’s Red Bull teammate Sebastien Vettel. The result means Hamilton regains the lead in the Drivers’ Championship from his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who failed to finish. Hamilton now leads with 241 points, ahead of Rosberg (238) and Ricciardo (181). Vettel’s best result of the season sees him climb into fifth on 124 points. Mercedes leads the Constructors’ Championship by 174 points over Red Bull with five races remaining this year.

Next race: Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka International Racing Course, Japan (Sun, Oct 5 at 5:00pm)

*All times AEDST

The Week to September 15

RUGBY LEAGUE

The first week of NRL finals footy has come and gone, and now just six teams remain in the hunt for the 2014 premiership. The Rabbitohs and Panthers earned a week off with victories, whilst losses for the Storm and Broncos ended their campaigns.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs kicked off the finals against the Manly Sea Eagles on Friday night in what turned out to be a very one-sided contest. After a blistering opening ten minutes, it was Souths who scored first through Adam Reynolds, and following three further tries, the Rabbitohs led 22-0 at the break. Manly needed to be first to score upon the resumption, but as in the first half, it was Reynolds who crossed first and before the hour mark, the Rabbitohs had extended their lead to 40-0. It took a forward pass to help Manly finally get on the scoreboard in the 64th minute, and three more tries in fifteen minutes closed the margin to 16, but the damage had been done and the Rabbitohs ran out 40-24 winners.

The Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers clashed in the first match on Saturday, and as they had for most of the year, the Panthers started as heavy underdogs. After an error-riddled first twenty minutes, the Panthers were first to score, but the Roosters hit back soon after through former Panther Michael Jennings, and they held a 6-4 advantage after the first stanza. An exchange of tries followed by a penalty to the Panthers left the scores level at 12-all after sixty minutes, but when Mitchell Pearce’s 73rd-minute try was converted, the Roosters looked as though they had sealed a spot in the preliminary finals in a fortnight’s time. Penrith had other ideas though, and after a spectacular effort from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to set up Dean Whare’s second try with a little over three minutes to play, a sideline conversion from Jamie Soward saw the scores locked up at 18-apiece. A pumped-up Soward then nailed a 32m field goal with just 13 seconds on the clock to seal a thrilling 19-18 win for the Panthers.

Jamie Soward’s last-minute field goal secured the Panthers a 19-18 victory over the Roosters

The second match on Saturday was an all-Queensland affair, with the North Queensland Cowboys hosting the Brisbane Broncos and looking to make it 11 straight wins at home in Townsville. The Cowboys started this first elimination final the stronger of the two teams, and after twenty minutes, they were already ahead 18-0. Another try in the shadows of halftime made it 24-0 at the break, and the Broncos had a mountain to climb to keep their season alive. Brisbane finally got on the scoreboard in the 52nd minute, and after a double in the space of five minutes to Jordan Kahu, they held the ascendancy and trailed just 24-14 with twenty minutes to play. A 65th-minute try to Cowboys fullback Michael Morgan sealed the result, but one last Broncos try reduced the final margin to 32-20.

The second elimination final featured the two sides that contested the 2012 Grand Final – the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Melbourne Storm. As in the Cowboys-Broncos clash, the scoreline read 18-0 inside the first twenty minutes, but unfortunately for the AAMI Park crowd it was the visiting Bulldogs who held the advantage. Tim Lafai’s second try in the 37th minute made it 24-0 at halftime and Melbourne were staring down the barrel of an embarrassing scoreline. The Storm scored their first points early in the second half, and when they crossed again three minutes later, they had begun to stir up hopes of a miraculous comeback. Unfortunately for them, the try was disallowed due to a knock-on in the lead-up, and that was where the scoring ended for them. Lafai completed a hat-trick in the 75th minute, and the Bulldogs wrapped up their third win over the Storm for the year 28-4.

Upcoming fixtures – Semi-Finals:

Bulldogs (7th) vs Sea Eagles (2nd) at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Sep 20 at 7:45pm) – winner to play Panthers (4th) in Preliminary Final 1

Roosters (1st) vs Cowboys (5th) at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Fri, Sep 19 at 7:55pm) – winner to play Rabbitohs (3rd) in Preliminary Final 2

*All times AEST

 

AFL

The semi-finals of the 2014 AFL finals series produced two gripping contests, with both matches seeing the lower-ranked side from the regular season emerging victorious. Only four teams now remain – Sydney (1st), Hawthorn (2nd), Port Adelaide (5th) and North Melbourne (6th).

The Geelong Cats played the North Melbourne Kangaroos in a clash that pitted twin brothers Chris and Brad Scott against each other in the coaches’ boxes, and ultimately it was the younger twin Brad’s side that prevailed by a solitary goal. North kicked the first goal of the match after just 16 seconds, and from there were never headed. By halftime they held a 60-36 advantage, a margin they maintained until three-quarter time, then extended to 32 midway through the final quarter. Geelong’s Tom Hawkins kicked three goals in the space of six minutes to set up a grandstand finish, but in the end, time ran out for the Cats, and North held on for a 14.14 (98) to 13.14 (92) victory.

North Melbourne celebrate their 98-92 win over Geelong, becoming the first side from outside the top four to reach a preliminary final since 2007

 

In the second semi-final, the Fremantle Dockers hosted Port Adelaide Power for the second time in three games, following their Round 23 clash which the Dockers won by eight points. Port kicked the first and last goals of the first half, but in between, it was all Fremantle, who led 47-23 at the main break. By three-quarter time, Port had turned the match on its head and held a 63-61 advantage, and though the Dockers kicked two early goals in the final term, the Power kicked six of the last seven goals to run out 15.15 (105) to 11.17 (83) victors.

Upcoming fixtures – Preliminary-Finals:

Sydney (1st) vs North Melbourne (6th) at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Fri, Sep 19 at 7:50pm)

Hawthorn (2nd) vs Port Adelaide (5th) at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sat, Sep 20 at 4:45pm)

*All times AEST

 

RUGBY UNION

For the second week in a row, the Wallabies have scored a nailbiting win, this time recording a 32-25 victory over Argentina. In front of its smallest home crowd this century, the Australians made tough work of a Pumas side yet to score its first victory in three years in the Rugby Championship. As they did last week, the Wallabies scored a try inside two minutes, this time to captain Michael Hooper, only to see their opponents take the lead five minutes later with a converted try of their own. The home side dominated possession in the first half, but poor execution and finishing meant they only had a 14-7 lead at halftime. Hooper scored his second try of the night just after the break, and when Peter Betham crossed to put the Wallabies up 29-13 on the hour mark, it looked as though they would run away with the match. Two tries in seven minutes to Argentina closed the margin to four with less than ten minutes to play, but a 74th-minute penalty goal to Bernard Foley and some desperate defence ensured that the Australians would not suffer another embarrassing defeat in the Rugby Championship.

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper crossed for two tries to lead his side to an unconvincing 32-25 victory over Argentina

In the round’s other match, New Zealand had to fight extremely hard to hold off a valiant South Africa, overcoming a 7-6 halftime deficit to secure a nail-biting 14-10 victory. All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden kicked a penalty goal early but it was Cornal Hendricks who crossed for the first try of the match to put South Africa 7-3 up after 17 minutes. Another penalty goal to Cruden in the 23rd minute rounded out the scoring for the first half, but it wasn’t until New Zealand captain Richie McCaw crossed in the 47th minute that his side regained the lead. A drop goal to the Springboks closed the margin to one, but Beauden Barrett extended it to four with a penalty goal with 13 minutes remaining. Though they were camped on the New Zealand goal line for most of the dying minutes, the Springboks were unable to breach the All Blacks’ defence, and the Kiwis held on for yet another victory.

Current standings – Round 4 of 6:

Upcoming fixtures – The Rugby Championship – Round 5 of 6:

South Africa vs Australia at Newlands Rugby Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa (Sun, Sep 28 at 1:05am)

Argentina vs New Zealand at Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina (Sun, Sep 28 at 8:10am)

*All times AEST

OTHER NEWS

TENNIS: Australia has retained its spot in the 16-nation Davis Cup World Group after securing a 5-0 whitewash over Uzbekistan in Perth over the weekend. Lleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios claimed straight sets wins on the opening day over Farrukh Dustov and Denis Istomin respectively to set up a 2-0 lead heading into day two, and once Hewitt and Chris Guccione had combined to claim the doubles rubber, the Aussies held an unassailable 3-0 advantage. In the reverse singles clashes, 26-year-old Sam Groth made a winning start to his Davis Cup career with an easy 6-3 6-2 victory over Temur Ismailov, while Kyrgios scored an even more comfortable 6-1 6-1 win over Davis Cup debutant Sanjar Fayziev.

The Week to September 8

RUGBY LEAGUE

The final round of the regular season kicked off with a cracking contest between the third-placed Roosters and the second-placed Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night. For both sides, the equation was the same – a loss would see a third-place finish, whilst a win would keep alive hopes of winning the minor premiership, pending the result of the Cowboys-Sea Eagles match on Saturday night. A Manly loss would see the victors of this match crowned minor premiers, whilst a Manly victory would see the Sea Eagles finish in top spot. Both sides opened their scoring with penalty goals, before Roosters winger Daniel Tupou crossed in the 18th-minute for the only try of the first half. In the second minute of the second stanza, Kirisome Auva’a was sin-binned for slowing down the play-the-ball, and the Roosters capitalised on their one-man advantage, scoring two tries in the ten minutes Auva’a was off the field. With half an hour to go, the Roosters had raced to a 22-2 lead and were threatening to put on a big score, but the Rabbitohs scored three tries in the space of ten minutes to close the gap to 22-18 with five minutes to play. A cool head and smart plays from man-of-the-match Mitchell Pearce helped settled the Roosters, who held on for a nailbiting four-point win.

James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce were instrumental in helping the Roosters wrap up their second consecutive minor premiership

Friday night’s clash was just as crucial for its two combatants, with the Storm and Broncos both looking to secure top-eight berths. Despite their early dominance, the Broncos were not able to get on the scoreboard, and the Storm made them pay, skipping out to a 12-0 lead at the 20-minute mark. Half an hour later, Brisbane had drawn level, but Storm centre Mahe Fonua scored a double in the space of eight minutes to earn a 22-12 victory for his side, and leave Brisbane’s finals hopes hanging by a thread.

The first match on Saturday featured the Tigers and the Sharks, two teams both well out of finals contention and looking for their first victory since the end of July. After an error-riddled first half the Sharks led 10-4, but three tries in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half put the Tigers up 20-10, and a second try for the day to Bodene Thompson sealed a 26-10 win for the home side. Parramatta travelled to Canberra needing a win to have any chance of claiming the final spot in the top eight, but their day started badly, going behind in just the fifth minute, and by halftime they faced a 20-6 deficit. The Raiders extended their lead to 32-6 before three Parramatta tries in the space of seven minutes closed the gap to just 12, but a field goal to Anthony Milford with two minutes remaining sealed a 33-20 win for Canberra, their third in a row to round out the year. The day’s final match between the Cowboys and Sea Eagles would determine whether or not the Sea Eagles would finish as minor premiers and win the J.J. Giltinan Shield for the first time since 1997. Manly crossed for the first try of the match to lead 4-2 early, but would not score another point for 40 minutes. In that time, the red-hot North Queenslanders scored 22 of their own, and the 20-point margin proved too much for the Sea Eagles to overcome, eventually going down 30-16. The result secured second spot for Manly, and meant that the Roosters won the minor premiership for the second consecutive year.

Five-eighth Robert Lui was one of the Cowboys’ best players in their 30-16 defeat of Manly

Sunday’s opening clash had no bearing on the finals series, but Newcastle were desperate to put on a good show in front of their home fans against St George. The Dragons hadn’t lost at the Hunter for 10 years, but it was the Knights who started stronger, running away to an 18-0 lead midway through the first half. A 24-4 halftime advantage became 40-4 after Sione Mata’utia crossed for his second double in two matches, and even a consolation 77th-minute try to the Dragons couldn’t add respectability to the scoreline, which finished at 40-10. The Titans hosted the Bulldogs in a meeting between two out-of-form sides, but with the Bulldogs looking for momentum heading into the finals series, they were expected to make light work of the 15th-placed Titans. It appeared they were headed for an easy victory when they led 18-0 at the break, but with 20 minutes to play, the Titans had fought back to trail just 18-10. Two more tries in the final ten minutes saw the scores locked up at 18-all with a kick to come, but Titans halfback Daniel Mortimer’s conversion attempt hit the post, taking the game into extra time. Bulldogs halfback Trent Hodkinson sprayed his field goal attempt wide two minutes into golden point, but Titans fullback Will Zillman wouldn’t make the same mistake, kicking a 20-metre field goal to seal a 19-18 thriller and snap his side’s six-match losing streak. The Panthers and the Warriors both had plenty to play for in the final match of the regular season, but it was the Panthers who took their opportunity, scoring an early try and setting up a 16-0 halftime advantage that the Warriors never really looked like running down. In the end, the Panthers were too strong, running out 22-6 victors, in the process securing fourth spot and a crucial second chance in the finals. For the Warriors, the loss pushed them back down to ninth on for-and-against, with the Broncos being the benefactors, sneaking back into eighth spot.

Final standings – Round 26 of 26:

Upcoming fixtures – Finals Week 1:

Sea Eagles (2nd) vs Rabbitohs (3rd) at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Fri, Sep 12 at 7:55pm)

Roosters (1st) vs Panthers (4th) at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Sep 13 at 5:50pm)

Cowboys (5th) vs Broncos (8th) at 1300SMILES Stadium, Townsville (Sat, Sep 13 at 7:55pm)

Storm (6th) vs Bulldogs (7th) at AAMI Park, Melbourne (Sun, Sep 14 at 4:10pm)

*All times AEST

AFL

Hawthorn and Geelong kicked off the 2014 finals series in thrilling fashion, with Hawthorn running away in the final quarter to record a 36-point win to book a spot in the preliminary final in a fortnight. Geelong held a five-point advantage midway through the third quarter, but the defending premiers kicked 8 of the last 10 goals to run out 104-68 winners. Minor premiers Sydney also contested a closely-fought match, eventually sealing a 24-point victory over Fremantle. Sydney led by five points at halftime, and midway through the third quarter were ahead by just two, but they kicked the next three goals to take a 22-point lead into the final change. Fremantle closed the margin to 10, but some Buddy Franklin magic helped close out the game for Sydney and earn them a week off.

Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin again starred for Sydney, kicking three goals to help his side progress to a home preliminary final

In the first elimination final, North Melbourne came back from 33 points down in the third quarter to record a miraculous 93-81 victory over Essendon. After kicking just two goals in the first half, North Melbourne kicked seven in the third quarter, and another five in the fourth to run over the top of their opponents, and book a semi-final showdown against Geelong next week. Port Adelaide brought Richmond crashing back to earth in the other elimination final, kicking the first seven goals of the match, before eventually running out 132-75 winners. Richmond came into the game on a nine-match winning streak, including a win over minor premiers Sydney last week, but found themselves down 43-0 inside 12 minutes. The margin kept growing, eventually blowing out to 87 early in the third quarter, before a few late goals brought the final margin back to 57. Port will travel to Perth to face Fremantle next week for the second time in three matches.

Upcoming fixtures – Semi-Finals:

Geelong vs North Melbourne at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Fri, Sep 12 at 7:50pm) – winner to play Sydney in Preliminary Final 1

Fremantle vs Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium, Perth (Sat, Sep 13 at 7:45pm) – winner to play Hawthorn in Preliminary Final 2

*All times AEST

RUGBY UNION

Following a draw and a huge loss to the All Blacks in their opening two matches, the Wallabies finally secured their first win of the Rugby Championship, coming from behind to beat South Africa 24-23 in Perth. Israel Folau crossed inside the opening 90 seconds to help the Wallabies to an early lead, but a Morne Steyn penalty and a try to Cornal Hendricks gave the Springboks an 8-5 advantage after 12 minutes. Flyhalf Bernard Foley levelled the scores at 8-8, but the Wallabies kept conceding penalties, and Morne Steyn kicked South Africa to a 14-8 lead before Foley got one back for the men in gold to cut the margin back to three, which is where it stayed until halftime. A penalty to Foley not long after the break levelled the scores again, but some poor tactics and ill-discipline from the Wallabies saw them concede three more penalties, and with 15 minutes to play, they faced a 23-14 deficit. A controversial decision to send Bryan Habana to the sin bin in the 66th minute for an apparent high shot on Adam Ashley-Cooper gave the Wallabies a lifeline, and when Foley kicked another penalty, the Wallabies were back within six points. The introduction of Kurtley Beale sparked their attack back to life and with just three minutes remaining, Rob Horne scored near the corner, giving Foley a chance to play match-winner again, just one month after kicking the Waratahs to a last-minute victory in the Super Rugby final. Yet again, he calmly slotted the conversion, giving the Wallabies a one-point win and moving them off the bottom of the Rugby Championship ladder.

Rob Horne’s late try helped seal a 24-23 victory for the Wallabies over South Africa

In the round’s other match, New Zealand scored a bonus-point 28-9 win against Argentina, but it was far from convincing. A try after the halftime siren saw the All Blacks lead 13-6 at the break, and though they scored another try to push the score out to 18-6, a harsh knock-on call against the Argentines prevented them from closing the gap. The Kiwis led 18-9 with just under 20 minutes to play, and it took until the 73rd minute for them to seal the win when they crossed for their fourth try of the night.

Current standings – Round 3 of 6:

Upcoming fixtures – The Rugby Championship – Round 4 of 6:

New Zealand vs South Africa at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand (Sat, Sep 13 at 5:35pm)

Australia vs Argentina at Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia (Sat, Sep 13 at 8:05pm)

*All times AEST

OTHER NEWS

CRICKET: Australia’s men have lost to South Africa by six wickets in the final of the one-day tri-series tournament in Zimbabwe. Following mixed results in the round-robin stages, including a first one-day loss to Zimbabwe in 30 years, the Australians faced an opponent that they had never previously lost to in a tournament final. A solid start saw the Australians reach 3/115 after 28 overs, but South African quick Dale Steyn instigated a collapse to 8/144, and the Australians did well to bat out their 50 overs and reach 9/215. Despite the loss of an early wicket, in-form batsman Faf du Plessis ensured the South Africans would reach the sub-par target comfortably, thus securing them their first one-day tournament win since 2002. Du Plessis was named player of the series, scoring 464 runs at an average of 92.80, including three centuries, and 96 in the final.

Australia’s women – the Southern Stars – have had a far more successful campaign against Pakistan on the Gold Coast, sealing a 4-0 clean sweep in their Twenty20 International series, a result that follows a 4-0 whitewash in the One Day series the week before. In the final match, Australia posted 3/139 from its 20 overs, including 42 to Elyse Villani and 46 not out off just 28 balls to captain Meg Lanning, before restricting Pakistan to 6/119 from their allotment of overs. Opener Elyse Villani was named player of the series for her 181 runs at an average of 60.33, which included four 30+ scores in four innings.

The Southern Stars celebrate a 4-0 Twenty20 series win over Pakistan

FORMULA 1: Australian Daniel Ricciardo has recorded another excellent result for Red Bull in the F1, finishing fifth at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton claimed the win, finishing 3.1 seconds ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg to seal Mercedes’ tenth win and seventh 1-2 finish for the season, extending their lead over Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship to 182 points. Rosberg still leads the Drivers’ Championship on 238 points, followed by Hamilton (216) and Ricciardo (166). Felipe Massa posted his best result of the year in finishing third, and he currently sits in ninth spot on 55 points.

Next race: Italian Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore (Sun, Sep 21 at 8:00pm)

*All times AEST

The Week to September 1

RUGBY LEAGUE

The Bulldogs were again in action in the opening match of the round, this time against the Rabbitohs, who would go to the top of the ladder with a victory, if only temporarily. A frenetic opening period saw the Bulldogs take an early 6-0 lead, and an exchange of tries late in the half meant that the Bulldogs held a 12-6 advantage at the break. The second half was extremely tense, with the Rabbitohs only hitting the front in the 73rd minute through Lote Tuqiri, but they managed to hold on for a well-earned 21-14 win.

The Broncos played the Dragons at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, with both teams needing a victory to keep their slim finals hopes alive. The two sides scored a try apiece in the opening fifteen minutes, but the Broncos then posted three tries in the space of twelve minutes, which gave them a commanding 24-4 lead at halftime. A horrendous refereeing error in the 53rd minute saw Matt Gillett sent to the sin bin for making a tackle from an offside position despite never being offside, and from the resulting possession, St George scored a controversial try where the on-field no-try decision was overturned by the video referee despite an apparent knock on in the lead-up. The Dragons continued to make the most of their one-man advantage, and by the 66th minute, they had slashed the deficit to just two. Fittingly, Gillett sealed victory with a 72nd-minute try, as the Broncos survived a thriller to win 30-22.

Broncos halfback Ben Hunt played a starring role in his side’s nailbiting 30-22 win over the Dragons

The Knights hosted the Eels in the first match on Saturday, and a mistake from the opening kickoff had them on the back foot early. Both sides scored two tries in the opening half, but the Eels led 12-8 thanks to two conversions from Chris Sandow. The match remained close until five tries in the space of 17 minutes midway through the second stanza saw the Knights gallop away, and a 79th-minute try to Chanel Mata’utia rounded out a convincing 42-12 win and completed a second-half hat-trick for the 22-year-old, following a double to his 18-year-old brother Sione in the first half. In a match having no consequence on the finals, the Raiders and Tigers both decided to field young teams in their clash in preparation for upcoming seasons. The Tigers’ poor form of recent months continued, failing to score a first-half point for the fourth consecutive match, trailing 12-0 at the break, but by midway through the second half, they had closed to 14-12 and were looking dangerous. The Raiders didn’t panic though, hitting back with two late tries of their own to run out 27-12 victors, in the process recording back-to-back wins for the first time this year. The day finished with a high-quality blockbuster between the Roosters and the Storm, ranked third and fifth on the ladder respectively. A 6-6 halftime scoreline reflected of the closeness of the match, and though the Storm took the lead early in the second half thanks to Billy Slater’s second try of the night, the Roosters’ defence held firm for the remainder of the match, and three tries in the final 15 minutes sealed a 24-12 win and a top-four berth.

Billy Slater’s two tries weren’t enough to help the Storm avoid a 24-12 defeat to the Roosters

The opening match on Sunday saw the Warriors thrash the hapless Titans 42-0. All seven Warriors tries came in the first 50 minutes of the match, and after narrowly avoiding being held scoreless last week against the Dragons, the Titans were held to nil for the first time in the club’s eight-season history. In front of a raucous home crowd at Brookvale Oval, Manly came back from seven points down with four minutes remaining to pull off a miraculous 26-25 victory over the Panthers. The Panthers had skipped away to an early ten-point lead, holding that advantage into halftime, then jumping out to 22-6 when Jamie Soward scored an intercept try in the 46th minute. Knowing that a loss would all but extinguish their minor premiership hopes, the Sea Eagles hit back with two tries, but when Matt Moylan kicked a field goal for the Panthers with nine minutes remaining, they still trailed 25-18. Jamie Lyon crossed in the 78th minute to lift the home side’s hopes, and when Tom Symonds completed his double with 68 seconds to play, the Sea Eagles had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to keep their place at the top of the ladder.

The Cowboys will be looking to continue their late-season resurgence when they host the Sharks on Monday night. A victory will secure them a top-eight position and consign the Sharks to the wooden spoon for 2014.

Current standings – Round 25 of 26:

Upcoming fixtures – Round 26:

Roosters vs Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Thu, Sep 4 at 7:45pm)

Storm vs Broncos at AAMI Park, Melbourne (Fri, Sep 5 at 7:45pm)

Tigers vs Sharks at Leichhardt Oval, Leichhardt (Sat, Sep 6 at 3:00pm)

Raiders vs Eels at GIO Stadium, Canberra (Sat, Sep 6 at 5:30pm)

Cowboys vs Sea Eagles at 1300SMILES Stadium, Townsville (Sat, Sep 6 at 7:30pm)

Knights vs Dragons at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle (Sun, Sep 7 at 2:00pm)

Titans vs Bulldogs at Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (Sun, Sep 7 at 3:00pm)

Panthers vs Warriors at Sportingbet Stadium, Penrith (Sun, Sep 7 at 6:30pm)

*All times AEST

 

AFL

Despite a final-round defeat, the Sydney Swans have wrapped up the minor premiership for 2014. Richmond’s 68-65 victory over Sydney was their ninth in a row, and the narrow loss was enough for the Swans to secure top spot on percentages ahead of Hawthorn, who had opened the round with a 65-point thrashing of Collingwood. Fremantle won a tight tussle with Port Adelaide 107-95 to jump into third temporarily, but Geelong thumped Brisbane by 62 points to push them back into fourth and set up a showdown with bitter rivals Hawthorn next week. Essendon and Carlton fought out the season’s first draw – a 90-90 result coming after both sides had given up 30-point advantages during the match. North Melbourne scored a 123-93 win over a plucky Melbourne to pick up their fourth straight win, and they will face Essendon in the first week of the finals. West Coast and Adelaide missed out on the top eight by one win, but ended their season on a high, demolishing Gold Coast and St Kilda respectively. Greater Western Sydney also finished the season with a win, kicking a goal with 16 seconds remaining to score a six-point win over the Western Bulldogs, spoiling Daniel Giansiracusa’s farewell after a 14-year 265-game career with the Bulldogs.

Final standings – Round 23 of 23:

Upcoming fixtures – Finals Week 1:

Hawthorn vs Geelong at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Fri, Sep 5 at 7:50pm)

Sydney vs Fremantle at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Sep 6 at 2:45pm)

North Melbourne vs Essendon at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sat, Sep 6 at 7:15pm)

Port Adelaide vs Richmond at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (Sun, Sep 7 at 3:20pm)

*All times AEST

 

RUGBY UNION

Upcoming fixtures – The Rugby Championship – Round 3 of 6:

New Zealand vs Argentina at McLean Park, Napier, New Zealand (Sat, Sep 6 at 5:35pm)

Australia vs South Africa at Patersons Stadium, Perth, Australia (Sat, Sep 6 at 8:05pm)

*All times AEST

 

OTHER NEWS

TENNIS: After the first week of the US Open, only one Australian remains – Casey Dellacqua is the sole survivor of the 12-strong Australian contingent that travelled over to contest the final major of the year. Seven of the twelve made it to the second round, but only Dellacqua and Nick Kyrgios progressed to the round of 32. Kyrgios went down in four sets to 16th seed Tommy Robredo, whilst Dellacqua scored a three-set win over Czech Karolina Pliskova. She will face 11th seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy looking for her first ever appearance in a Grand Slam Quarter-Final.

In the men’s draw, the top eight seeds are still in contention, with Novak Djokovic (1), Stan Wawrinka (3), Milos Raonic (5) and Andy Murray (8) all through to the fourth round. Roger Federer (2), David Ferrer (4), Tomas Berdych (6) and Grigor Dimitrov (7) are yet to play their third round matches. Defending champion Rafael Nadal was a pre-tournament withdrawal due to a wrist injury.

In the women’s draw, only three of the top eight seeds remain – two-time defending champion Serena Williams (1), Maria Sharapova (5) and Eugenie Bouchard (7) will all be playing for a spot in the quarter-finals. Simona Halep (2), Petra Kvitova (3), Angelique Kerber (6) fell in the third round, whilst Agnieszka Radwanska (4) and Ana Ivanovic (8) both suffered second round losses.

The Week to August 25

RUGBY LEAGUE

Round 24 kicked off on Thursday night with the Bulldogs continuing a month of misery for the severely understrength Wests Tigers, posting a convincing 30-10 victory at ANZ Stadium. The Bulldogs got off to a flying start, racing out to 24-0 in half an hour, virtually ensuring that their to the Tigers in Round 19 would not be repeated. The Tigers put on a better showing in the second half, outscoring their opponents 10-6, but the damage had already been done, and they slumped to their fifth straight loss. With two wins on the trot, the Bulldogs need just one win from their final two games to cement a top-eight berth.

Friday night’s grudge match between Parramatta and ladder-leaders Manly lived up to expectations, with an entertaining match going the way of the ninth-placed Eels. The Sea Eagles scored an early try, and thanks to some terrific defence, they led 12-0 after the first half. The second stanza was all Parramatta, though, as they piled on 22 unanswered points, including three tries in the space of ten minutes to round out a 22-12 victory and move into eighth spot on the ladder.

Kenny Edwards scored the first of the Eels’ four second-half tries, as they came back from 12-0 down to win 22-12

Two Queensland sides scored victories in the two games on Saturday, with Brisbane thrashing an in-form but depleted Newcastle 48-6, and North Queensland ending South Sydney’s five-match winning streak with a 22-10 victory on the back of a Johnathan Thurston masterclass. Brisbane and Newcastle were locked at 0-0 nearing the midway point of the first half, but the Broncos were eventually able to capitalise on their early dominance, posting three tries before halftime to take a 14-0 lead into the break. The Broncos started the second half poorly, allowing the Knights to score within two minutes, but as in the first half, the Broncos piled on the points in the final twenty-five minutes, posting six tries including a hat-trick to five-eighth Ben Barba to run out 42-point winners and keep their slim finals hopes alive. Following Manly’s loss the previous night, the Rabbitohs had the opportunity to jump into top spot, but the night did not begin well for them. The Cowboys put on a near-flawless first half performance and held a 16-0 halftime advantage, and when they crossed again in the 52nd minute, things were becoming desperate for Souths. They hit back almost immediately, but were unable to score again until there was just four minutes to go, by which time the match was well and truly over. Souths’ night was soured even further when star halfback Adam Reynolds limped off with a hamstring injury, and it looks likely he will miss next week’s blockbuster against the Bulldogs.

A scintillating performance from Johnathan Thurston helped the Cowboys upset the Rabbitohs 22-10

The Roosters sent out an ominous warning to its premiership contenders with a 46-12 thumping of the Warriors in Auckland. The Roosters led 16-6 after a fairly even first forty minutes, but a try in the opening minute of the second period seemed to break the Warriors’ resolve. Ten minutes into the half, Warriors lock Sebastien Ikahihfo was sent from the field for ten minutes for a late flop tackle on James Maloney, and the Roosters continued to pile on the points, racing to 40 before the Warriors scored a consolation try with five minutes to go. Michael Jennings ensured the Roosters would finish on a high though, crossing in the 78th minute to cap off a sensational win. In a battle of the cellar-dwellers, Canberra added to Cronulla’s week of woes with a scrappy 22-12 victory to extend the Sharks’ losing streak at home to seven. Sosaia Feki crossed in the dying stages of an error-riddled first half to help Cronulla to a 6-0 lead at the break, but the Raiders scored three tries in twelve minutes to set up a ten-point advantage with twenty minutes to play. The Sharks responded with a try of their own, but Anthony Milford’s second try of the afternoon ensured the win. Cronulla will have to win their last two matches and hope that Canberra loses their final two in order to avoid the wooden spoon. In the day’s other game, the Dragons celebrated the signing of coach Paul McGregor for a three-year deal with a 34-6 demolition of the Titans. Three tries in each half set up the huge win, with a consolation try for the Titans in the 67th minute ensuring they weren’t held scoreless for the first time in their eight-season history. One of the many highlights for the Dragons was Brett Morris scoring the second try of the game, which marked a combined 200 NRL tries for him and his identical twin, Josh, who now plays for the Bulldogs.

The Panthers will again be playing Monday night footy, this time hosting the Storm to close out Round 24. Victory for Penrith will see them jump to second spot, whilst the Storm need a win to keep alive their hopes of a top four finish.

Current standings – Round 24 of 26:

Upcoming fixtures – Round 25:

Bulldogs vs Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Thu, Aug 28 at 7:45pm)

Broncos vs Dragons at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Fri, Aug 29 at 7:45pm)

Knights vs Eels at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle (Sat, Aug 30 at 3:00pm)

Raiders vs Tigers at GIO Stadium, Canberra (Sat, Aug 30 at 5:30pm)

Roosters vs Storm at Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Aug 30 at 7:30pm)

Warriors vs Titans at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland (Sat, Aug 31 at 2:00pm)

Sea Eagles vs Panthers at Brookvale Oval, Brookvale (Sun, Aug 31 at 3:00pm)

Cowboys vs Sharks at 1300SMILES Stadium, Townsville (Mon, Sep 1 at 7:00pm)

*All times AEST

 

AFL

With one round to play, Sydney is in the driver’s seat to claim the minor premiership after yet another win, this time posting a clinical 130-67 victory over the Western Bulldogs. Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin kicked six goals to extend his lead to nine in the race for the Coleman Medal, which is awarded to the season’s highest goalkicker. In a battle for second spot, Hawthorn overcame a 31-point halftime deficit to defeat Geelong by 23 points in a possible preview to a qualifying final between the sides in a couple of weeks. Fremantle and Port Adelaide will battle it out for fourth spot next week, after both secured convincing wins, over Brisbane and Carlton respectively. North Melbourne clinched sixth spot with a seven-point victory over Adelaide in a tense, seesawing battle, whilst Essendon won a tight contest with Gold Coast 108-89. Richmond continued its hot run of form, notching up its eighth straight victory – its best streak in 34 years – to climb into the top eight after a 26-point win over St Kilda. West Coast and Collingwood posted wins to remain in contention for finals footy, but both need wins next week and will be relying on other results to fall their way if they are to play in September.

Current standings – Round 22 of 23:

 

Upcoming fixtures – Round 23:

Collingwood vs Hawthorn at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Fri, Aug 29 at 7:50pm)

Carlton vs Essendon at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sat, Aug 30 at 1:45pm)

Fremantle vs Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium, Perth (Sat, Aug 30 at 3:10pm)

Sydney vs Richmond at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Aug 30 at 4:40pm)

North Melbourne vs Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (Sat, Aug 30 at 7:40pm)

Geelong vs Brisbane at Simonds Stadium, Geelong (Sat, Aug 30 at 7:40pm)

Gold Coast vs West Coast at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast (Sun, Aug 31 at 1:10pm)

Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (Sun, Aug 31 at 3:20pm)

Western Bulldogs vs Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (Sun, Aug 31 at 4:40pm)

*All times AEST

 

RUGBY UNION

After a promising 12-all draw in the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney, the Wallabies have suffered a demoralising loss to New Zealand in the return clash in Auckland. The 51-20 win for the All Blacks marked the highest score they have ever posted against the Wallabies, surpassing the 50-21 result in 2003, and means they retain the Bledisloe Cup for the 12th straight year.

As in their first clash, the sides exchanged penalty goals early, with Aaron Cruden kicking the All Blacks to a 9-6 lead. The Wallabies couldn’t make the most of Richie McCaw being sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes, but when Rob Simmons was sin-binned, the All Blacks posted two tries in the space of three minutes, which meant the Wallabies faced a 23-6 halftime deficit. Things only got worse after the break, as the All Blacks scored three more tries to extend the lead to 44-6 before Israel Folau crossed for Australia’s first try in over 140 minutes of Bledisloe Cup action. Captain Michael Hooper scored less than five minutes later to add a small amount of respectability to the score, but a last-minute try pushed the margin back out to 31 and means the Wallabies have not tasted victory in 15 Tests at Eden Park since 1986.

In the other clash, Argentina led South Africa 28-16 with just over twenty minutes to go, but the Springboks fought back to snatch a 33-31 victory thanks to a 77th-minute penalty goal to Morne Steyn.

 

Current Standings – Round 2 of 6

 

Upcoming fixtures – The Rugby Championship

New Zealand vs Argentina at McLean Park, Napier, New Zealand (Sat, Sep 6 at 5:35pm)

Australia vs South Africa at Patersons Stadium, Perth, Australia (Sat, Sep 6 at 8:05pm)

*All times AEST

 

OTHER NEWS

FORMULA 1: Australian Daniel Ricciardo has claimed his third career Formula 1 win, coming from fifth place on the grid to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. He crossed the line 3.3 seconds ahead of championship leader Nico Rosberg, who started from pole position, and 28 seconds faster than third-placed Valtteri Bottas. It was the Red Bull driver’s second consecutive victory, following his race win in Hungary a month ago. Ricciardo’s sixth podium finish of the season means he sits in third place in the Drivers’ Championship on 156 points, behind Mercedes’ Rosberg (220) and Lewis Hamilton (191).

Next race: Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo di Monza, Monza (Sun, Sep 7 at 10:00pm)

*All times AEST

The Week to August 18

RUGBY LEAGUE

South Sydney kicked off Round 23 on Thursday night with an impressive 42-16 victory over Brisbane at ANZ Stadium. The Broncos were first to score, but Souths fullback and captain Greg Inglis continued his hot form, terrorising the visiting side with a superb display in both attack and defence. Inglis scored a hat-trick, which included a freakish display of athleticism and skill in crossing for his second try, inspiring his side to a fifth straight win and pushing Souths one step closer to a top-four finish.

On Friday night, the Eels took on the Bulldogs in a vital clash for both teams’ top eight aspirations. In a high-quality match, the sides exchanged tries early, before the Bulldogs scored two tries in the space of five minutes to skip away to an 18-6 lead. Eels winger Semi Radradra joined teammate Jarryd Hayne as the season’s joint top try-scorer when he scored a double in the space of of six minutes either side of half-time to bring his side back to 18-16, which is where the score stayed for the next half an hour. With two minutes to play, Parramatta kicked a 40/20 and from the ensuing quick tap, crossed for what they thought would be the match-sealing try, but because the ballboy had not placed the ball correctly for the restart, the play was called back, and the Bulldogs were able to hold on for a thrilling two-point victory.

The Dragons travelled to Canberra on Saturday in an attempt to break a 14-year losing streak in the nation’s capital, and things didn’t start well when they fell behind less than two minutes into the match. Dragons stand-in captain Brett Morris scored a double, but still found his team behind 12-10 at halftime. The Raiders scored first in the second half to extend their lead to six, but from there it was all St George, who posted 24 unanswered points to run out 34-16 victors. The day’s other matches saw two lopsided contests, with both winners racking up close to 50 points. The Storm continued their push for a top-four finish with a nine-tries-to-one 48-6 win over cellar-dwellars Cronulla. The Sharks were behind 30-0 at the break, but they held their own for most of the second half, before conceding two tries in the final six minutes. The Roosters ensured they would hold their spot in the top four for at least another week with a 48-4 thrashing of the Wests Tigers. The Tigers have now conceded 140 points in their last 3 matches, and in the process only scored 16 of their own. They were competitive for the first half of this match, only trailing 8-0 at halftime, but the floodgates opened after the break, with the Roosters running in seven second-half tries to snuff out the Tigers’ slim hopes of making the finals.

The Knights continued their good form of recent months with their sixth win in their past eight outings, this time defeating the Warriors 28-22. A hat-trick to Siona Mata’utia and a try to his brother Chanel helped the Newcastle side to a 26-14 lead with 15 minutes to play, but a try each to the Warriors’ wingers David Fusitua and Manu Vatuvei in the final ten minutes set up a nailbiting finish, in which the Knights were just able to hang on for the win. In the day’s other match, the Sea Eagles were expected to easily account for the Titans, but things didn’t quite go according to script. It took until the 33rd minute for the 0-0 deadlock to be broken, but Kieran Foran’s try for Manly was soon cancelled out by the Titans’ James Roberts, and the scoreline read 6-all at halftime. Brett Stewart put Manly ahead again midway through the second half, but it wasn’t until Daly Cherry-Evans kicked a field goal with four minutes to go that the win was secured for the Sea Eagles.

The Panthers will host the Cowboys on Monday to close out Round 23. The Cowboys will be looking to post their fifth straight win and move into fifth spot, whilst a victory for Penrith will virtually secure them a top eight position and keep them in with a chance of winning the minor premiership.

Current standings – Round 23 of 26:

Upcoming fixtures – Round 24:

Bulldogs vs Tigers at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Thu, Aug 21 at 7:45pm)

Eels vs Sea Eagles at Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta (Fri, Aug 22 at 7:45pm)

Broncos vs Knights at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Sat, Aug 23 at 5:30pm)

Rabbitohs vs Cowboys at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Aug 23 at 7:30pm)

Warriors vs Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland (Sun, Aug 24 at 12:00pm)

Sharks vs Raiders at Remondis Stadium, Woolooware (Sun, Aug 24 at 2:00pm)

Dragons vs Titans at WIN Jubilee Stadium, Sydney (Sun, Aug 24 at 3:00pm)

Panthers vs Storm at Sportingbet Stadium, Penrith (Mon, Aug 25 at 7:00pm)

*All times AEST

 

AFL

Hawthorn suffered a shock nineteen-point loss to Fremantle to see their position at the top of the table taken by Sydney at the completion of Round 21. Sydney scored a crushing 71-point win over St Kilda, whilst Geelong scored a thrilling 82-76 win over Carlton to keep alive their top-two aspirations. Port Adelaide scored a nailbiting 56-47 win over Gold Coast, and this result, combined with Fremantle’s win over Hawthorn, virtually ensures that the Fremantle-Port Adelaide clash in Round 23 will determine who finishes in fourth spot and gets a “double chance” in the finals. North Melbourne’s 50-point thrashing of the Western Bulldogs has seemingly secured them a finals berth, leaving six teams to fight it out for seventh and eighth. Two of those six teams, Richmond and Essendon, both scored crucial wins over fellow finals contenders, with Richmond beating Adelaide 79-69 to notch up seven straight wins for the first time since 1995, and Essendon winning by three points over West Coast to snap its two-match losing streak. Collingwood’s 123-56 loss to Brisbane means they need other results to fall their way over the final two rounds in order to make the finals.

Current standings – Round 21 of 23:

 

Upcoming fixtures – Round 22:

Port Adelaide vs Carlton at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (Fri, Aug 22 at 7:50pm)

North Melbourne vs Adelaide at Blundstone Arena, Hobart (Sat, Aug 23 at 1:45pm)

Essendon vs Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (Sat, Aug 23 at 2:10pm)

Greater Western Sydney vs Collingwood at Spotless Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park (Sat, Aug 23 at 4:40pm)

West Coast vs Melbourne at Patersons Stadium, Perth (Sat, Aug 23 at 7:40pm)

Hawthorn vs Geelong at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sat, Aug 23 at 7:40pm)

Brisbane vs Fremantle at The ‘Gabba, Brisbane (Sun, Aug 24 at 1:10pm)

Western Bulldogs vs Sydney at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (Sun, Aug 24 at 3:20pm)

Richmond vs St Kilda at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sun, Aug 24 at 4:40pm)

*All times AEST

 

RUGBY UNION

 

 

Upcoming fixtures – The Rugby Championship

New Zealand vs Australia at Eden Park, Auckland (Sat, Aug 23 at 5:35pm)

Argentina vs South Africa at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta, Argentina (Sun, Aug 24 at 5:40am)

*All times AEST

The Week to August 11

RUGBY LEAGUE

Round 22 kicked off with the Rabbitohs winning their top-of-the-table clash with Manly 23-4 and notch up their fourth straight victory. The Broncos scored a resounding 41-10 win over the Bulldogs to keep their finals’ hopes alive. The Bulldogs have now lost four straight matches, and are in danger of dropping out of the top eight.

Sisa Waqa scored four tries for Melbourne, but it wasn’t enough as the Knights overcome a ten-point deficit in the final two minutes to snatch a 32-30 victory, with captain Kurt Gidley kicking a conversion from the sideline after the final siren. The Cowboys crossed for 12 tries in a 64-6 mauling of the Wests Tigers, with Matthew Wright picking up a hattrick. After having been in twelfth spot after Round 18, the Cowboys have now won four straight, and could finish the round in the top four. The Eels continued their push for a spot in the top eight with an 18-10 win over Canberra. They now sit in ninth spot on for-and-against, and a win against the Bulldogs next week will see them move into eighth spot.

On Sunday, the Warriors hosted the Sharks, and managed to hang on for a thrilling 16-12 victory, after the Sharks threatened to steal a win in the dying minutes. Jamie Soward starring against his former team, St George, helping his Penrith side post a 16-4 victory to keep in touch with the top two.

The Roosters will host the Titans at Allianz Stadium on Monday to close out the round. A win for the Roosters will see them move into the top four, whilst the Titans will be hoping to snap a two-match losing streak.

 

Current standings – Round 22 of 26:

Upcoming fixtures – Round 23:

Rabbitohs vs Broncos at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Thu, Aug 14 at 7:45pm)

Eels vs Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Fri, Aug 15 at 7:45pm)

Raiders vs Dragons at GIO Stadium, Canberra (Sat, Aug 16 at 3:00pm)

Storm vs Sharks at AAMI Park, Melbourne (Sat, Aug 16 at 5:30pm)

Tigers vs Roosters at Leichhardt Oval, Leichhardt (Sat, Aug 16 at 7:30pm)

Knights vs Warriors at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle (Sun, Aug 17 at 2:00pm)

Titans vs Sea Eagles at Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (Sun, Aug 17 at 3:00pm)

Panthers vs Cowboys at Sportingbet Stadium, Penrith (Mon, Aug 18 at 7:00pm)

*All times AEST

 

AFL

Each of the top three teams secured wins to open up a two-game margin at the top of the ladder ahead of fourth-placed Fremantle with just three rounds remaining in the regular season. Hawthorn cemented its position in top spot with a 50-point thrashing of a Melbourne side that is in a tense battle to avoid the wooden spoon. Sydney scored an 84-58 win over Port Adelaide, who have won just two of their past eight matches since their previous loss to Sydney back in Round 13. Geelong snuck home by two points against Fremantle, with David Mundy narrowly missing a 50m shot after the final siren that would have given Fremantle a miraculous victory after they had trailed by 24 points at the final change. Adelaide was the big mover this week, jumping from 10th to 7th thanks to a percentage-boosting 105-point win over Brisbane. West Coast and Richmond both posted crucial wins to keep their finals’ hopes alive, the latter scoring its sixth successive victory to maintain the pressure on Essendon, Collingwood and Gold Coast, who all suffered losses against teams ranked beneath them on the ladder.

Results: Richmond defeated Essendon 95-77; North Melbourne defeated Greater Western Sydney 126-51; Carlton defeated Gold Coast 97-58; Hawthorn defeated Melbourne 115-65; Sydney defeated Port Adelaide 84-58; Geelong defeated Fremantle 81-79; Adelaide defeated Brisbane 168-63; Western Bulldogs defeated St Kilda 122-99; West Coast defeated Collingwood 126-66.

Current standings – Round 20 of 23:

 

Upcoming fixtures – Round 21:

Carlton vs Geelong at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (Fri, Aug 15 at 7:50pm)

Sydney vs St Kilda at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (Sat, Aug 16 at 1:45pm)

Gold Coast vs Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast (Sat, Aug 16 at 2:10pm)

Essendon vs West Coast at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (Sat, Aug 16 at 4:40pm)

Collingwood vs Brisbane at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sat, Aug 16 at 7:40pm)

Adelaide vs Richmond at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (Sat, Aug 16 at 7:40pm)

North Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (Sun, Aug 17 at 1:10pm)

Melbourne vs Greater Western Sydney at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (Sun, Aug 17 at 3:20pm)

Fremantle vs Hawthorn at Patersons Stadium, Perth (Sun, Aug 17 at 4:40pm)

*All times AEST

 

RUGBY UNION

With the Super Rugby season over and another week until the Rugby Championship starts, attention turned to the Shute Shield – the premier grade rugby union trophy in New South Wales. In week one of the finals held last week, minor premiers Manly defeated Randwick 42-5, Sydney University snuck past Warringah 26-23, and Southern Districts had an even closer win against Eastwood, scraping through 38-36. Despite losing in the first week, Eastwood progressed through to the semi-finals thanks to their second-place in the regular season, and they grabbed their second chance with both hands, downing Manly 32-20 in the first semi-final. In the other semi-final, Southern Districts secured a nailbiting 27-25 win over Sydney University courtesy of a Ben Volavola 50m penalty after the final whistle. The result means Southern Districts will face Eastwood in the grand final, and it will be the first time since 2004 that the decider does not feature Sydney University.

Upcoming fixtures

Shute Shield – Grand Final:

Eastwood vs Southern Districts at Concord Oval, Concord (Sat, Aug 16 at 3:00pm)

 

The Rugby Championship:

Australia vs New Zealand at ANZ Stadium, Sydney (Sat, Aug 16 at 8:05pm)

South Africa vs Argentina at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria (Sun, Aug 17 at 1:05am)