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  • 🗞️ Elvis, Max, and the Biggest Winners of the Weekend.

🗞️ Elvis, Max, and the Biggest Winners of the Weekend.

Wallabies Grand Slam dream goes up in smoke

G’day Sports Fans,

In today’s spin through the world of sports;

  • 🦘 Wallabies’ taste defeat

  • ✋🏼 Injured from a high-five

  • 🔴 No new-manager bounce for Man United.

📧 P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

🏏 The prospect of Australia having to overturn almost 60 years of precedent to wrest back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has become even more challenging with the resurgence of one of the great Virat Kohli who snapped his run drought with 30th Test hundred.

While the result of the first Test at Perth Stadium remains unknown, only a fantasy writer would dare float a script whereby Australia recovers from their overnight 3-12 to reel in the distant victory target of 533.

📺 Marnus bowling. Cue anger in the SEN box (Twitter)

🏉 Scotland inflicted the Wallabies’ first loss of their Grand Slam tour after a 27-13 win in Edinburgh.

The Scots were at their very best as they kept the Australians under pressure for the majority of the match.

They could do little wrong in the second half as they were clinical in attack to go with a near-perfect defensive performance.

The Wallabies’ injury woes continued when centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii came off second-best from putting in a crunching tackle, clutching his wrist/arm.

The 21-year-old left the field and didn’t return, although Wallabies officials remain confident he has avoided serious damage at the current moment.

"It was intense. I felt we were in the contest, particularly in the first half and we probably should've converted a few more points with the pressure we had," coach Joe Schmidt said post-game.

⛳️ Elvis Smylie held off former Open champion Cameron Smith down the back nine to win the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.

The 22-year-old Queenslander carded a four-under-par 67 to finish on 14 under for the tournament, which was reduced to 54 holes after heavy rain washed out play in round 2.

Smith, a three-time winner of this event, posted a final round of 69 to finish two shots back on 12 under, with compatriots Marc Leishman (69) and Anthony Quayle (63) a shot further back.

Smylie, 22, was one of two players to receive the Cameron Smith Scholarship in 2019 and the pair shared the second-round lead heading into Sunday.

The world number 736, son of former four-time Grand Slam tennis doubles champion Liz Smylie, only secured his first professional win on the PGA Tour of Australasia last month.

Australian PGA Championship - final leaderboard

-14 E Smylie (Aus); -12 C Smith (Aus); -11 M Leishman (Aus), A Quayle (Aus); -10 D Micheluzzi (Aus); -9 A Ayora (Spa), C Davis (Aus)

🏏 Aussies at the IPL Auction: 37 players nominated; Fast bowler Mitchell Starc was signed by the Delhi Capitals for $2.14 million, sold for less than half of what he received last year. National teammate Marcus Stoinis was one of the highest-selling all-rounders in the auction, signed by the Punjab Kings for $2 million.

Retired opener David Warner went unsold, while rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk was snapped up by the Capitals for $1.64 million.

  • Glenn Maxwell - sold to Punjab Kings for ($765,000)

  • Mitchell Marsh - sold to Lucknow Super Giants for ($620,000)

🏏 Bizarre Injury: Jye Richardson took the wickets of Conor McInerney and Daniel Drew in back-to-back deliveries, putting himself on a hat-trick against South Australia.

However, when celebrating his second wicket, Richardson raced through a group of teammates and an errant high-five saw the bowler clutch at his shoulder immediately.

He did later return to the field and snare another wicket.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Matildas forward Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the upcoming international fixtures.

The 21-year-old has made the call to pull out, citing mental and physical fatigue following an intense and demanding playing schedule over the past few months.

She will miss the Matildas friendlies. There are four matches that begin on Thursday against Brazil and Chinese Taipei, to be played across Australia.

🏉 Valentine Holmes has spoken for the first time since joining the Dragons, confirming he is set to play in the centres next season.

Holmes is just one of the club’s big-name recruits with Damien Cook and Clint Gutherson also now donning the Red V. 

⚽️ EPL WRAP: Rúben Amorim was made to wait just 81 seconds for the first goal of his tenure as Manchester United manager when Marcus Rashford opened the scoring against Ipswich Town. He was brought back down to earth though, ultimately as Ipswich had the best of the play, as it finished 1-1.

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points but were forced to come from behind to earn a vital late 3-2 win at struggling Southampton.

“He Fires A Bow. Now Give Mo His Dough” read the banner - and more could be on the way after the 32-year-old Mo Salah who delivered another match-winning display.

Leicester City sacked manager Steve Cooper with the club 16th in the Premier League after 12 games.

🎾 Italy won the Davis Cup: Italy are only the sixth nation to successfully retain the Davis Cup, after the USA, Sweden, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic.

World number one Jannik Sinner secured the trophy with 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 win over Tallon Griekspoor

They are the first to do so since the Czech Republic in 2013.

It caps a triumphant week for emerging tennis powerhouse Italy after the women's team secured the Billie Jean King Cup title on Wednesday.

🏏 Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in Indian Premier League history, signed for $4.92 million.

Following a tense bidding war with the Capitals, Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings secured the services of Shreyas Iyer for $4.87 million. The 29-year-old led the Knight Riders towards an IPL title last summer, smacking 351 runs at 39.00 with a strike rate of 146.86.

Jos Buttler was the only Englishman in the initial batch of players auctioned in Jeddah, and the England white-ball captain and wicketkeeper was picked up by Gujarat Titans for 15.75 crore (£1.4m).

🏉 Autumn / Spring Nations Series: England ended their five-match losing run with a nine-try 59-14 hammering of Eddie Jones' Japan at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium.

icymi: Ireland’s Sam Prendergast auditioned to become the long-term successor to Johnny Sexton in a 52- 17 victory over Fiji.

New Zealand recorded an 18th consecutive win against Italy 29-11 to wrap up their autumn series on flanker Sam Cane's final appearance for the All Blacks.

South Africa easily outmuscled an inexperienced Wales to underline the gulf between the teams (45-12) - Warren Gatland will learn his fate in the coming days after an entire year without a test victory.

⛳️ Big fat cheater Patrick Reed won the Hong Kong Open by three shots after the LIV Golf player carded a final round 66 for his first victory in near four years on the Asian Tour. In round 3 he became the ninth player this year to shoot a 59 or lower, closing with four straight birdies for an 11-under round Saturday to take the lead in the Hong Kong Open on the Asian Tour.

The score will not be recognized as a record on the Asian Tour because of preferred lies, in which players could lift, clean and place the golf balls in the short grass.

🚘 Elfyn Evans won the season-ending Rally Japan as Thierry Neuville wrapped up his first World Rally Championship (WRC) title.

Belgian Neuville's overall victory was secured when Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak crashed out on the final morning while leading the rally.

🏎️ Max Verstappen says his fourth consecutive world title came after a "very challenging" season and he is "hungry" to bid for more success in 2025.

The Red Bull driver's fifth place in the Las Vegas Grand Prix put his points total beyond the reach of his closest rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris.

The Briton, who needed to win at least three more points than Verstappen to continue the title fight, finished sixth.

George Russell took a dominant victory ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

"It was a very challenging season," Verstappen said. "Also as a person at times it was very challenging and I had to be calm.

"In a way I still prefer last season. I enjoyed it a lot, but I think this season, it has taught me a lot of lessons.

"I am very proud of us as a team and in a way that makes it a very special and beautiful season."

🎾 icymi: Andy Murray will coach his long-time former rival Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in 2025.

Britain's three-time Grand Slam champion Murray, 37, retired from tennis in August after a 19-year career.

Former world number one Murray said he was "looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change".

The pair will work together in the off-season and in the build-up to the Australian Open, which takes place 12-26 January.

This will be Murray's first coaching role since retiring from playing.

"It's time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner." - said Djokovic.

🏀 Scotty Pippen Jr., the son of former Chicago great Scottie, scored a career-best 30 points, added 10 assists and shot 13-of-16 to lead the Memphis Grizzlies past the Bulls 142-131.

🏀 Fresh off a three-game layoff, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama exhibited rust early, only to catch a groove late in pushing San Antonio to its second-largest comeback win of the season, a 104-94 triumph over the Golden State Warriors.

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TODAY 

05:00 - PGA TOUR - RSM Classic, Round 4 - Fox Sports

08:00 - Men's NCAA - UMass Minutemen v Florida State Seminoles - ESPN 2

08:25 - NFL - Seattle Seahawks v Arizona Cardinals - 7mate

08:25 - NFL - Green Bay Packers v San Francisco 49ers - ESPN

10:00 - NBA - Miami Heat v Dallas Mavericks - ESPN 2

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - NSW Men v Tasmania Tigers Men - Kayo Sports

12:20 - NFL - Los Angeles Rams v Philadelphia Eagles - ESPN

12:30 - Men's NCAA - Vanderbilt Commodores v Drake Bulldogs - ESPN 2

13:20 - Test Match - Australia v India - Channel 7, Fox Cricket

15:00 - Sheffield Shield - South Australia Men v Western Australia Men - Kayo Sports

15:00 - Sheffield Shield - Queensland Bulls v Victoria Men - Kayo Sports

20:30 - Indian Premier League - Indian Premier League Player Auction, Day 2, Part 1 - Fox Sports

TUESDAY

06:30 - Men's NCAA - Connecticut Huskies v Memphis Tigers - ESPN 2

07:00 - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - Optus Sport 1

09:00 - Men's NCAA - Michigan State Spartans v Colorado Buffaloes - ESPN 2

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - NSW Men v Tasmania Tigers Men - Kayo Sports

11:30 - NBA - Boston Celtics v Los Angeles Clippers - ESPN 2

12:15 - NFL - Los Angeles Chargers v Baltimore Ravens - ESPN

13:20 - Test Match - Australia v India - Channel 7, Fox Cricket

14:00 - NHL - Anaheim Ducks v Seattle Kraken - ESPN 2

15:00 - Sheffield Shield - South Australia Men v Western Australia Men - Kayo Sports

15:00 - Sheffield Shield - Queensland Bulls v Victoria Men - Kayo Sports

15:30 - Men's NCAA - North Carolina Tar Heels v Dayton Flyers - ESPN

21:00 - AFC Champions League - Vissel Kobe v Central Coast Mariners - Paramount+