🗞 Significant steps forward

G’day Sports Fans,

☕️ Coffee-Break Ammo: American Jim Thorpe won two Olympic gold medals (100m, and High Jump) using shoes he found in the trash after someone stole his at the 1912 Olympics.

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

🏏 Australia took control of the one-off Test against South Africa after dismissing the tourists for just 76 on a dramatic opening day in Perth.

In the first women's Test between the sides, South Africa were bowled out in 31.2 overs as 15 wickets fell in total.

Fast bowler Darcie Brown, 20, took 5-21 while all-rounder Annabel Sutherland claimed 3-19 as only two Proteas batters reached double figures.

Australia slipped to 12-3 but recovered to end the day on 251-5, a lead of 175.

🇦🇺 Hawthorn is facing an injury crisis a month out from its season opener and has lost James Blanck for the whole year after Thursday’s intraclub game went horribly wrong for the key defender.

Scans following the match confirmed Blanck tore his ACL during the second half in an incident assistant coach David Hale described as “flattening” for his teammates, who had to play on.

🏉 Cowboys star Luciano Leilua is reportedly shopping himself to rival NRL clubs and chasing a four-year deal worth a staggering $900k per season.

The Dragons have spoken with the Leilua about a return to their club, while the Raiders are also interested but they’re baulking at the backrower’s asking price.

Leilua, 27, has requested an immediate release from his contract that runs until the end of the 2025 and he sat down with Dragons coach Shane Flanagan this week.

🏏 Victoria has cleared Will Pucovski to return to action following his latest concussion setback, with the exciting batting prospect to resume his season in the Sheffield Shield on Friday.

Pucovski, who was struck on the helmet while batting in a second XI game in Adelaide last month, has been “passed medically fit” by doctors according to a Cricket Victoria statement released on Thursday.

🇦🇺 icymi: Carlton coach Michael Voss has signed a two-year contract extension as he vows to take the revitalised Blues to another on-field level.

Voss has inked a fresh deal to remain coach until the end of the 2026 AFL season.

After guiding the Blues to a losing preliminary final last season, Voss is setting his club's sights higher.

"While we have taken significant steps forward in our progression as a club, our ambitions remain ahead of us," he said in a statement on Thursday.

🏏 The Pakistan Cricket Board has terminated fast bowler Haris Rauf's central contract after he refused to go on the Test tour of Australia.

Pakistan lost 3-0 in the three-match series between December and January.

The Test tour clashed with the Big Bash League (BBL), which Rauf subsequently featured in for Melbourne Stars.

The PCB has also banned the 30-year-old from playing in any foreign leagues until 30 June.

⚽️ Wolves could sell Portugal winger Pedro Neto this summer to ensure they do not breach Premier League profit and sustainability rules. Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United are admirers of the 23-year-old.

🏏 Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja both struck centuries to take India to 326-5 after England made a stunning start to the first day of the third Test in Rajkot.

⛳️ Tiger Woods says he is "pain-free" as he prepares for his first PGA Tour event of 2024 at the Genesis Invitational, which starts this morning.

But the 15-time major champion added he is still adapting after the ankle surgery he underwent in April 2023.

🏀 Detroit Pistons player Isaiah Stewart was arrested for assault after punching Phoenix Suns' Drew Eubanks before their teams played on Wednesday.

Police said Stewart, 22, was "issued a citation and released" while detectives continue to investigate the incident.

The two players clashed in the parking lot at the Footprint Arena in Phoenix.

⚽️ France striker Kylian Mbappe has told Paris St-Germain he intends to leave the club at the end of the season.

The 25-year-old's deal with the Ligue 1 champions is scheduled to expire and he has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid.

TODAY

08:00 - PGA TOUR - The Genesis Invitational, Round 1 [Fox Sports]

09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v South Africa [Fox Cricket]

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - New South Wales Blues v Victoria [Kayo Sports]

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - Tasmania Tigers v Western Australia [Kayo Sports]

11:00 - Sheffield Shield - South Australia Redbacks v Queensland Bulls [Kayo Sports]

12:30 - NBA - Memphis Grizzlies v Milwaukee Bucks [ESPN]

13:20 - Test Match - New Zealand v South Africa [Fox Sports]

14:00 - Women's Test Match - Australia v South Africa [7mate, Fox Cricket]

14:00 - NHL - Vancouver Canucks v Detroit Red Wings [ESPN 2]

15:00 - Test Match - India v England [Fox Sports]

17:30 - NBL - New Zealand Breakers v Brisbane Bullets [ESPN]

19:30 - NBL - Cairns Taipans v Melbourne United [ESPN]

20:10 - Rugby League All Stars - Indigenous All Stars v Maori All Stars [Fox League or Channel 9]

SATURDAY

08:00 - PGA TOUR - The Genesis Invitational, Round 2 [Fox Sports]

09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v South Africa [Fox Cricket]

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - New South Wales Blues v Victoria [Kayo Sports]

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - Tasmania Tigers v Western Australia [Kayo Sports]

11:00 - Sheffield Shield - South Australia Redbacks v Queensland Bulls [Kayo Sports]

11:00 - NBA All-Star Week - NBA Celebrity Game [ESPN]

11:00 - Men's NCAA - Saint Louis Billikens v VCU Rams [ESPN 2]

13:00 - NHL - Arizona Coyotes v Carolina Hurricanes [ESPN 2]

13:00 - NBA All-Star Week - NBA Rising Stars Challenge [ESPN]

13:20 - Test Match - New Zealand v South Africa [Fox Sports More]

13:45 - Pre-Season Challenge - Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks [Fox League]

14:00 - Women's Test Match - Australia v South Africa [7mate, Fox Cricket]

15:00 - Test Match - India v England [Fox Sports]

15:45 - Pre-Season Challenge - Sydney Roosters v Manly Sea Eagles [Fox League]

17:30 - NBL - South East Melbourne Phoenix v Sydney Kings [ESPN]

17:55 - Pre-Season Challenge - Parramatta Eels v Canberra Raiders [Fox League]

18:00 - A-League Men - Sydney FC v Adelaide United [Paramount+]

19:45 - A-League Men - Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory [10 Bold or Paramount+]

20:00 - NBL - Tasmania JackJumpers v Perth Wildcats [ESPN]

20:05 - Charity Shield - South Sydney Rabbitohs v St. George Illawarra Dragons [Fox League]

23:30 - Premier League - Brentford v Liverpool [Optus Sport 1]

00:00 - Spanish La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Las Palmas [Optus Sport 2]

SUNDAY

02:00 - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v West Ham United [Optus Sport 7]

02:00 - Premier League - Fulham v Aston Villa [Optus Sport 6]

02:00 - Premier League - Tottenham v Wolverhampton Wanderers [Optus Sport 3]

02:00 - Premier League - Newcastle United v Bournemouth [Optus Sport 5]

02:00 - Premier League - Burnley v Arsenal [Optus Sport 4]

04:00 - College - Men's NCAA [ESPN 2]

04:30 - Premier League - Manchester City v Chelsea [Optus Sport 1]

05:00 - PGA TOUR - The Genesis Invitational, Round 3 [Fox Sports]

06:00 - Men's NCAA - Florida State Seminoles v Duke Blue Devils [ESPN 2]

07:00 - NHL - Dallas Stars v Edmonton Oilers [ESPN]

08:00 - Men's NCAA - Oklahoma Sooners v Kansas Jayhawks [ESPN 2]

10:00 - Men's NCAA - Auburn Tigers v Kentucky Wildcats [ESPN 2]

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - New South Wales Blues v Victoria [Kayo Sports]

10:30 - Sheffield Shield - Tasmania Tigers v Western Australia [Kayo Sports]

11:00 - Sheffield Shield - South Australia Redbacks v Queensland Bulls [Kayo Sports]

12:00 - NBA All-Star Week - NBA All-Star Saturday Night [ESPN]

14:00 - NBL - Melbourne United v Illawarra Hawks [10 Peach, ESPN 2]

14:00 - Women's Test Match - Australia v South Africa [7mate, Fox Cricket]

14:00 - UFC 298 Main Card - Alexander Volkanovski v Ilia Topuria [Main Event]

14:00 - Pre-Season Challenge - Warriors v Wests Tigers [Fox League]

14:00 - Men's NCAA - USC Trojans v Colorado Buffaloes [ESPN]

15:00 - Test Match - India v England [Fox Sports]

15:00 - Pre-Season Challenge - North Queensland Cowboys v Brisbane Broncos [Fox League]

16:00 - NBL - Adelaide 36ers v New Zealand Breakers [ESPN 2]

17:00 - A-League Men - Macarthur FC Bulls v Wellington Phoenix [Paramount+]

17:00 - A-League Men - Central Coast Mariners v Western Sydney Wanderers [10 Bold or Paramount+]

17:15 - Pre-Season Challenge - Dolphins v Gold Coast Titans [Fox League]