🗞 Sherrin Shortage

AUSSIE SPORTS
Captain Wright

🏀 A couple of Boomers at risk of missing out on Australia’s 12-man squad gave their hopes of selection a big boost with starring performances in a commanding 91-58 win over China.

The second of Australia’s two warm-up games followed a similar pattern to Tuesday’s match-up, with both teams struggling to find their offensive rhythm early before the Boomers started to kick away late.

Joe Ingles impressed with his playmaking while Chris Goulding, who had four 3-pointers in the first game against China, exploded for just as many triples in the third quarter alone. 

🏉 Queensland Reds captain Liam Wright will become the seventh Wallabies captain in 12 months when he leads the team out against Wales in Sydney on Saturday, and earned the nod despite playing just five Tests for Australia, all of them in 2019. 

In a clear statement of intent from Schmidt, there are just five survivors from the 2023 World Cup clash with Wales, a campaign which ended prematurely and finally with Jones’ departure. 

Where: Allianz Stadium, Sydney (Stan Sport or Channel 9)

When: Saturday 6 July, 7:45pm AEST

Wallabies team to face Wales (15-1): Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Josh Flook, Hunter Paisami, Filipo Daugunu, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Liam Wright (c), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Jeremy Williams, Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, James Slipper.

🎾 Aussies at Wimbledon: Alex de Minaur's campaign at Wimbledon has continued in commanding fashion, defeating Spain's Jaume Munar in straight sets on Thursday night.

The ninth seed tied up the 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 victory in just over two hours.

Meeting for the fourth time, de Minaur extended his record over Munar to 4-0, having also ended the Spaniard's campaign at Roland-Garros in the second round.

De Minaur won’t be celebrating too loudly at home though as his girlfriend Katie Boulter lost her second round match.

Thanasi Kokkinakis was forced to withdraw (after going one set up) after hurting his left knee during an ugly fall.

Alexei Popyrin delivered a giant upset of 30th seed Tomas Etcheverry, winning 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3. Popyrin’s prize is a thrid round match vs seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.

It could have been even better for Australia but relatively unknown Queenslander Adam Walton fell at the final hurdle in a heartbreaking 7-5 1-6 6-7 (12-14) 6-1 7-6 (10-8) loss to Francisco Comesana.

OLYMPIC WATCH
Mankini-Man 

🐴 A turbulent few months which included being crushed by a horse and suspended for riding in a mankini won’t stand in the way of equestrian legend Shane Rose trying to win a fourth Olympic medal after being locked in for a fourth Games in Paris. 

Rose, 51, was locked in to the nine-member squad which includes history-making Edwina Tops-Alexander who will become Australia’s first five-time Olympian showjumper.

🏄🏻‍♀️ Two-time surfing world champion Tyler Wright will be fit to represent Australia at this month's Olympic Games, according to her brother and former professional surfer Owen.

Wright withdrew from the World Surf League's Rio Pro at the end of June, citing an unidentified injury.

NRL NEWS
Drought Continues

📄 The South Sydney Rabbitohs have moved a win outside the NRL’s top eight in a 32-16 win over the Parramatta Eels.

With five straight wins and two byes in the past seven weeks, the Rabbitohs are now unbeaten since their round 11 loss to the Cowboys on May 18.

The Eels returned to the bottom of the ladder with their fourth straight loss.

The 2024 season has been an unmitigated disaster for the Eels, with long-term coach Brad Arthur moved on as fans wait for a new coach to be announced — which is expected on Friday.

But it doesn’t change the fact that the longest drought in the NRL will continue into a 39th season.

🗣️ Penrith coach Ivan Cleary says the “remodelling” work he’s doing with the ever-evolving Panthers is satisfying enough amid reported interest from potential NRL expansion teams while also giving a sharp “no” when asked if he would ever coach against his superstar son Nathan. (Fox)

AFL NEWS
Sherrin Shortage

🏉 The AFL is in danger of succumbing to a Sherrin shortage on the eve of finals.

The 15+ workers who manufacture the AFL's official ball are threatening to go on strike over a pay dispute. The workers, who are employed by US company Russell Athletic to hand stitch footballs, want a 5 percent jump in pay.

Every week the workers make between 200-250 Sherrins for AFL and AFLW games, and they believe even a few days off could lead to a shortage in footballs.

It's understood they have a backlog for roughly six weeks of brand new, Kangaroo Brand Sherrins. A strike also has the potential to impact the production of sportable balls with state of the art chips, which are set to be trialled in the AFLW season.

🦘 North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has laughed off comments from Sydney premiership hero Paul Roos, who believes Carlton's reserves side in the 1980s would beat the current-day Kangaroos.

Roos, who worked as a consultant for North during 2021 and 2022, took a major swipe at the club ahead of the bottom-placed Kangaroos' clash with Gold Coast.

"Carlton's seconds team in the early '80s would beat North Melbourne right now, there's no question about that," Roos said on Thursday.

Clarkson laughed and asked "did he?" when informed of Roos' comments.

"You're an easy target when you're sitting on the ladder where we are, so you just roll with the punches.”

WORLD NEWS
Ten-Hag to Stay 

🎾 Novak Djokovic survived a scare to continue his Wimbledon-record dream.

The British wildcard Jacob Fearnley thrilled Centre Court with a spirited fightback but was beaten by the seven-time champion 6-3 6-4 5-7 7-5.

🎾 Top seed Iga Swiatek reached the third round of the women's singles with a tenacious straight-set win over Petra Martic.

Croatian Martic pushed the Polish world number one in moments but lost her serve late in both sets in Swiatek's 6-4 6-3 win.

👋🏼 Andy Murray's farewell appearance at Wimbledon began with a straight-set defeat alongside older brother Jamie in the men's doubles.

However, 37-year-old Andy is set to appear again later this week, having signed up to the mixed doubles with fellow British Grand Slam champion Emma Raducanu.

🏉 Bumper Weekend of Rugby: In addition to the Wallabies v Wales in Sydney… New Zealand take on England (Dunedin): Three-cap Perofeta, 27, is preferred to 2015 Rugby World Cup winner Beauden Barrett, who has been named on the bench. Saturday's match will also be Scott Barrett's first as the new All Blacks captain.

There’s a mouthwatering clash between Europe’s best, Ireland and World Champions South Africa. South Africa are going “full noise” with 12 starters from their 2023 Rugby World Cup final triumph named.

Mind games: In the lead up Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has accused the ‘outspoken’ Irish of becoming full of themselves, while also claiming there’s jealousy directed at the Irish regarding their over-achievement in rugby.

There’s also Argentina v France early Sunday morning.

🏀 icymi: LeBron James is making it official: He's coming back for a record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, one where the league's all-time scoring leader could share the floor with his son Bronny as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James has agreed to a two-year contract to remain with the Lakers, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told AP.

The expectation is that James will make around $74 million — give or take a little bit — this coming season, pushing his career on-court earnings to around $790 million.

🚴🏻‍♂️ Dutch rider Dylan Groenewegen clinched victory in a thrilling photo finish to win stage six of the Tour de France.

That gave Groenewegen the sixth stage win of his career and his first since 2022, his first year with his Australian team.

🚴🏻‍♂️ icymi: Mark Cavendish broke the Tour de France stage wins record as he took his 35th victory on Tuesday to surpass the legendary Eddy Merckx with a sensational sprint finish Saint Vulbas. Here’s all 35 on youtube.

🏎️ Oliver Bearman will become the fourth British driver on the Formula 1 grid next season after signing to race for the US-based Haas team.

The 19-year-old, who impressed in finishing seventh on his F1 debut for Ferrari at this year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, has signed what Haas calls a “multi-year contract”.

“It’s hard to put into words just how much this means to me," said Bearman, who took his maiden Formula 2 victory in Austria last weekend.

“To say out loud that I will be an F1 driver for Haas makes me so immensely proud.”

👊🏻 Israel Adesanya has accused the UFC of deliberately ignoring his highlight reel knockout of Brazilian superstar Alex Pereira – and even blanking it from social media -- while also stressing Dricus du Plessis “didn’t say s***” in the latest build to their explosive Australian headliner.

Having spent the best part of a year away from the Octagon, Adesanya is finally set to make his hyped return against South Africa’s du Plessis at UFC 305 in Perth on August 18. (Fox)

⚽️ Manchester United have triggered a one-year extension in Erik ten Hag's contract to keep him at the club until 2026.

"Looking back at the past two years, we can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined."

Ten Hag stressed "we must also be clear that there is still lots of hard work ahead".

🧤 Arsenal have activated the AU$50m option to permanently buy Brentford goalkeeper David Raya after his successful loan spell last season.

Raya, 28, kept 16 Premier League clean sheets for the Gunners to win the Golden Glove, conceding just 16 league goals in the campaign.

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