G'day sports fans,

Did you know: Former Manly Sea Eagles player Matt Ballin played in three NRL Grand Finals, touched the ball 247 times, and never made an error. Ballin'

In today's (slightly shorter, I'm feeling a bit crook) edition of Sport Journal:

⚽️ Australia & New Zealand to host Women's World Cup 2023

🇦🇺 & 🏉 Friday night previews

🏉 All Blacks & Kangaroos potential cross-code blockbuster

⚽️ EPL Live scores:

S'ton 0-2 Arsenal (FT):

• A dreadful error from Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy allowed Nketiah to tap in.

• Arteta gets his first away win as Arsenal Manager.

Burnley 1-0 Watford (FT):

• Rodriguez heads winner, Burnley now up to 11th.

• Watford's hopes of Premier League survival were dealt a blow (1pt above drop zone)

Chelsea 1-0 Man City (HT): Liverpool will win title tonight should Man City not beat Chelsea.

Quiz - This week in Sport:

Questions are taken from stories featured in this week's issues of Sport Jouhnral. Answers at the bottom of the mail.

1. ⛳️ Who won the RBC Heritage last Sunday with a tournament record score of 22-under par?

2. 🇦🇺 How many clashes with Adelaide had Gold Coast lost in a row, by an average losing margin of 60 points?

3. 🏏 How many members of the Pakistan squad have tested positive for coronavirus?

4. 💰 As of Monday how much had the NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round raise?

5. ⛔️ How many games will Eels lock Nathan Brown miss after copping a suspension for a high shot on Victor Radley?

🏉 Panthers 20-12 Rabbitohs - Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary overcame an infection that required a hospital visit to help his side down an error-prone South Sydney.

After an impressive three-game stint, Souths fullback Latrell Mitchell had an off night, marked by four handling errors and a late visit to the sin-bin.

🏉 Friday Night Football:

Storm (1.14) v Warriors (5.75): Lee, Burr, Fusitu'a out

Melbourne had a surprise loss to the impressive Panthers last week but the Warriors are in a big hole, making the shock decision to sack coach Stephen Kearney despite winning two of four games since the NRL's resumption. (match preview)

Roosters (1.13) v Dragons (6.0): Tedesco, J-Moz out; Pereira banned.

The Roosters have looked near unbeatable over the past four weeks and while the Dragons have had a pair of morale-boosting wins the standard goes up significantly this week. (match preview)

🇦🇺 Sydney Swans 39 (5.9) Western Bulldogs 67 (10.7)

Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli inspires his side against Sydney

In a massive blow for the Swans, the loss was compounded with fears that ruckman Sam Naismith had suffered another ACL tear.

🇦🇺 Friday Night Footy: GWS Giants (2.0) v Collingwood (1.85)

In danger of falling to 1-3 if unable to improve on the form displayed in its latest two matches, GWS will attempt to steady the ship when Collingwood visits GIANTS Stadium on Friday night.

GWS will be given a huge boost by the expected returns of Josh Kelly and Toby Greene, as well as Lachie Whitfield’s availability. With that said, it appears Collingwood has not missed a beat since last season’s heartbreak, with its latest 81-37 domination of St Kilda maintaining an unbeaten record.

⚽️ Australia and New Zealand to host Women's World Cup in 2023

• Joint bid sees off challenge from Colombia

• Winning bid gets 22 of 35 Fifa council votes

Australia and New Zealand have won the vote to host the 2023 Women's World Cup, despite the outsiders Colombia having won the backing of Uefa, the confederation with the most significant number of members on the Fifa council.

Fifa's technical reports gave the Australia and New Zealand bid a score of 4.1 out of five and Colombia a rating of 2.8. 

The neighbouring nations ran a slick campaign that involved recruiting over 800,000 public backers to its #AsOne team and a joint letter to the Fifa council from Australia's prime minister, Scott Morrison, and Ardern two days before the vote that promised to create "a profound and enduring legacy for the future of women's football within the region and beyond".

Transfer Gossip:

Juventus have enquired about Arsenal and Gabon captain and forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 31, joining Barcelona and Inter Milan as interested parties. (Le10 Sport - in French) - So it must be true.

Napoli and Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 29, expects to join Manchester City this summer after Liverpool turned their attentions elsewhere. (Express)

Liverpool have emerged as favourites to sign Thiago Alcantara for about £43m after the Spain midfielder, 29, broke off contract negotiations with his current club Bayern Munich. (Bild - in German)

🐴 Plunge horse scratched by order of stewards

A first starter which had been the subject of a sensational betting move at Moe on Thursday has been scratched by order of stewards.

Trainer Cliff Murray's rookie filly Willygood opened at $101 in a 1208m maiden and that price was slashed to $11, then after final scratchings on Thursday morning firmed further into $4.60.

The TAB had originally priced the filly $61 when markets opened.

Murray said the three-year-old filly had trialled well against local horses at Sale and that might have caught the eye of punters.

"She’s had half a dozen trials … seems to be going all right. But that’s about it,” Murray had told racing.com

“I would say it’s just local people who have seen her at jump outs.

“She’s shown good ability, but just at those local jump outs."

But the filly was late scratching from the Moe race by order of stewards at 10.50am on Thursday.

🐴 🎉 We're cooking up something very special for our 100th issue. If you know any horse racing fans, make sure they are receiving Sport Journal. Send them to sportjournal.com.au to sign up for free. They won't want to miss out. More info. in upcoming editions.

All Blacks v Kangaroos: Secret talks for cross-code blockbuster

It’s an idea that’s been bandied about for years but it looks like the concept could soon become a reality: New Zealand and Australia are reportedly giving serious consideration to a hybrid rugby match played between the All Blacks and the Kangaroos.

The Courier Mail have reported that New Zealand Rugby and the Australian Rugby League are currently in talks regarding what could be a multi-million-dollar revenue-generating event for the rival codes.

Plans to stage a hybrid, 14-a-side international in one of the most significant moments in the 150-year history of trans-Tasman sport.

The cross-code spectacular will be branded and marketed as ... HISTORY.

Back on Monday!

Quiz answers:

1. Webb Simpson

2. Gold Coast ended nine years of pain at the hands of Adelaide, defeating the Crows for the first time. Having lost all 13 previous clashes.

3. 10 Pakistan players have tested positive for coronavirus

4. NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round had raised $2.55 million

5. Eels lock Nathan Brown has copped a two-game suspension after being found guilty of high tackle offence at the NRL judiciary on Tuesday. 

📺 So much live sport

Friday

⛳️ 05:00 - PGA Tour, Travelers Championship, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 05:15 - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester City (Optus Sport 1) 

⚽️ 06:00 - La Liga - Real Betis v Espanyol (BeIN Sports 1) 

⛳️ 08:00 - Korn Ferry Tour, Utah Championship, Round 1 (Fox Sports) 

🥊 10:00 - Super Flyweight Title - Jason Moloney v Leonardo Baez (Fox Sports)

🏉 18:00 - NRL - Melbourne Storm v Warriors (Fox League) 

🇦🇺 19:50 - AFL - GWS Giants v Collingwood Magpies (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 19:55 - NRL - Sydney Roosters v St George Illawarra Dragons (Fox League or Nine)

⚽️ 20:00 K League 1 - Gwangju FC v Pohang Steelers (Optus Sport 2) 

Saturday

⛳️ 05:00 - PGA Tour, Travelers Championship, Round 2 (Fox Sport)s 

⚽️ 06:00 - La Liga - Sevilla v Real Valladolid (BeIN Sports 3) 

⛳️ 08:00 - Korn Ferry Tour, Utah Championship, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🎮 08:00 - Esports - Basketball, NBA 2K League (ESPN 1) 

🚘 13:15 - Supercars - Sydney Super Sprint Qualifying Race 1, Round 2 (Fox Sports) 

🇦🇺 13:45 - AFL - Port Adelaide Power v West Coast Eagles (Fox Footy) 

🚘 13:50 - Supercars - Sydney Super Sprint Top 15 Shootout, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🏉 15:00 - NRL - North Queensland Cowboys v Newcastle Knights (Fox League) 

🚘 15:30 - Supercars Sydney Super Sprint Race 1, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 16:35 - AFL - St Kilda Saints v Richmond Tigers (Fox Footy)

🏉 17:05 - Super Rugby Aotearoa - Blues v Highlanders (Fox Sports) 

🏉 17:30 - NRL - Brisbane Broncos v Gold Coast Titans (Fox League)

🐎 18:53 - Harness Racing, Group 3 Pacers Hyland Eofy Sale Frith Stakes, 1,609m (Sky Racing 1)

🏉 19:35 - NRL - Parramatta Eels v Canberra Raiders (Fox League)

🇦🇺 19:40 - AFL - Essendon Bombers v Carlton Blues (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🇦🇺 19:40 - AFL - Gold Coast Suns v Fremantle Dockers (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 20:00 - K League 1 - FC Seoul v Incheon United 9Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 21:00 - K League 1 - Daegu FC v Gangwon FC (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 21:30 - Premier League - Aston Villa v Wolverhampton Wanderers (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 21:30 - English Championship - Preston North End v Cardiff City (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 22:00 - La Liga - Athletic Club Bilbao v RCD Mallorca (BeIN Sports 1) 

⚽️ 23:30 - Bundesliga - VfL Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich (BeIN Sports 3)

Sunday

⚽️ 02:30 - FA Cup Quarter-Final - Norwich City v Manchester United (ESPN 1)

⛳️ 03:00 - PGA Tour, Travelers Championship, Round 3 (Fox Sports) 

⚽️ 03:30 - La Liga - Osasuna v Leganes (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 04:00 - Turkish Super Lig - Trabzonspor v Ankaragucu (BeIN Sports 3) 

🐴 04:15 - Group 1 - Irish Derby, 2,410m (Sky Racing 1)

⚽️ 06:00 - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Deportivo Alaves (BeIN Sports 1) 

⛳️ 08:00 - Korn Ferry Tour, Utah Championship, Round 3 (Fox Sports) 

👊🏻 10:00 - UFC Fight Night Main Card - Dustin Poirier v Dan Hooker (ESPN 1) 

🚘 12:15 - Supercars, Sydney Super Sprint Race 2, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 13:05 - AFL - Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows (Fox Footy)

🏉 13:35 - Super Rugby Aotearoa - Crusaders v Chiefs (Fox Sports) 

🚘 14:35 - Supercars, Sydney Super Sprint Race 3, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 15:35 - AFL - Melbourne Demons v Geelong Cats (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 16:05 - NRL - Manly Sea Eagles v Cronulla Sharks (Fox League or Nine)

🐴 17:35 (TBC) - Horse Racing - Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen, 2,200m (Sky Racing 2) 

🇦🇺 18:05 - AFL - Hawthorn Hawks v North Melb. Kangaroos (Fox Footy) 

🏉 18:30 - NRL - Canterbury Bulldogs v Wests Tigers (Fox League) 

⚽️ 19:00 - K League - Ulsan Hyundai v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 21:00 - English Championship - Bristol City v Sheffield Wednesday (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 22:00 - FA Cup Quarter-Final - Sheffield United v Arsenal (ESPN 1) 

⚽️ 22:00 - La Liga - Levante v Real Betis (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 23:15 - English Championship - Nottingham Forest v Huddersfield Town (BeIN Sports 2)