🗞️ Title Secured

AUSSIE SPORTS
Australia into Semi

🏏 Australia secured their place in the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals with a nine-run win over India, who face a nervous wait to see if they will join them in the final four.

The defending champions are certain of topping Group A after winning all four games, but second-placed India need New Zealand to lose to Pakistan on Monday and stay ahead of both sides on net run-rate (NRR) to progress.

India needed 14 to win off the final over thanks to an excellent 54 from 47 balls from captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

But seamer Annabel Sutherland held her nerve, with her over costing just four runs for the loss of three wickets to seal the win.

Australia, who were without injured captain Alyssa Healy, earlier recovered from the loss of two early wickets to post 8-151 - their highest score of the tournament.

🏉 icymi: WXV 2: Australia beat Scotland to claim title at first attempt. The Wallaroos edged an epic contest 31-22 to become WXV 2 champions as they also qualified for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

🚓 Former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom has been found guilty on charges relating to forgery, and misuse of corporate assets during his time at Narbonne Rugby Club.

He has been sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay back €700,000, as reported by the regional daily L’Indépendant, which covered the trial. Elsom (believed to be living in Ireland) did not attend the hearing, and an international arrest warrant has been issued for him. (rugbypass)

🚘 Brodie Kostecki took out the Bathurst 1000 for the first time in his career, putting aside issues with Erebus from earlier in the year.

Kostecki said the victory ahead of Broc Feeney is redemption after failing to convert pole position at the Great Race in 2023.

It’s the reigning champion’s first victory in more than a year, dating back to the Tailem Bend triple that underpinned his title last August.

NRL NEWS
“I’m Not Leaving”

🏉 icymi: Papua New Guinea’s quest to accommodate the NRL’s 18th franchise received a timely boost on Sunday with a gutsy 42-20 defeat in the annual clash with the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII in Port Moresby.

The women's Prime Minister's XIII clash dished up plenty of highlights, but it was all one-way traffic as Australia dominated Papua New Guinea 50-0.

🏉 Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary has poured cold water on rumours that he’s considering leaving the NRL to play overseas. 

Matty Johns raised concerned this week that rugby league could lose Cleary to rugby union if he makes the switch to play in the UK.

Cleary spoke to UK Sky Sports at halftime of the Super League final on Sunday morning AEDT and was asked if a move was on the cards.

“Not anytime soon, to be honest. I see all the rumours,” Cleary said.

“I get to come over here and see her (Fowler) play which is nice and to have a break, but I won’t be moving over here anytime soon.”

NRL NEWS
Top Ten

🔁 The Western Bulldogs have asked for a top 10 pick in the national draft from Geelong in exchange for Bailey Smith, according to the Herald Sun.

Reports say the Cats are willing to risk Smith getting dragged to the national draft, which would be less than ideal for the on-baller, if they stand firm on their offer of Pick 17.

🔁 North Melbourne and Collingwood are said to be the only rival clubs capable of landing wantaway Power star, Dan Houston according to AFL.com's Cal Twomey.

Friday’s completed deals:

• 10. Richmond gets Pick 20. Brisbane gets Picks 32, 42, 43 and 45. 

• 11. Brisbane gets Pick 34 and 66. Carlton gets Pick 73 and a future second-round pick. 

• 12. Carlton gets Pick 14. Hawthorn gets future first and second round picks.

🙋🏼‍♀️ AFLW Wrap: MELBOURNE made it three wins in a row with a gutsy 14-point win over St Kilda in a tightly fought contest.

ADELAIDE shook off a shock midweek defeat and surged back into the top four with a 12-goal onslaught in a thumping 64-point victory over Greater Western Sydney.

Jasmine Garner produced yet another masterclass to lead North Melbourne to a crushing 60-point win over Sydney.

WORLD NEWS
WR Smashed

🏉 Wigan Warriors became the first side in the Super League era to win all four trophies in a single season as they beat Hull KR 9-2 in a tight Grand Final.

🥊 icymi: Artur Beterbiev beat Dmitry Bivol by majority decision to become the undisputed light-heavyweight world champion as one of boxing's most-anticipated fights lived up to the hype in Saudi Arabia.

There were incredible scenes in Riyadh as Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron fell through the ropes in dramatic scenes and the fight was declared a technical draw.

🎾 Novak Djokovic missed the opportunity to claim the 100th title of his stellar career as Jannik Sinner won a high-quality Shanghai Masters final.

World number one Sinner, 23, continued his dominant form this season with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 victory over the 37-year-old Serb.

Djokovic was aiming to become only the third man - after Jimmy Connors (109) and the watching Roger Federer (103) - to chalk up a ton of titles.

🎾 Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to win the Wuhan Open three times with a hard-fought win over Zheng Qinwen in Sunday's final.

The 26-year-old Belarusian was taken to three sets by China's Zheng in a thrilling rematch of this year's Australian Open final, in which she also claimed victory.

Sabalenka clinched her fourth women's singles title of the year 6-3 5-7 6-3 and remains undefeated in Wuhan.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya smashed the world record by nearly two minutes at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, winning in 2:09:56.

The 30-year-old broke the world record set by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia in 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.

🏈 NFL Early matches: Chicago's rookie quarterback Caleb Williams put on a show in London as he led the Bears to a 35-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Williams was the number one pick in this year's draft and crossed the pond for the second of the season's London games – and just the sixth appearance of what promises to be a glittering NFL career.

⛵️ New Zealand stretched their lead to 3-0 over Great Britain in the America's Cup before racing was abandoned.

Trailing 2-0 after Saturday's races, Ben Ainslie's Ineos Britannia team were penalised in the third for failing to keep clear of Emirates Team New Zealand after Peter Burling's aggressive manoeuvre in the pre-start.

New Zealand, winners in 2017 and 2021, need to win another four points in the first to seven match to claim a third consecutive title.

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