It’s one thing to listen to great commentary; it’s another to watch it.

This video of Bruce McAvaney and Tamsyn Manou calling the men’s 500m final last week at the athletics world championships encapsulates what goes into great commentary: a combination of encyclopaedic knowledge, pure passion for the sport, and an ability to convey the significance of any given sporting moment with storytelling. 

The commentary made this race one that I (and I imagine many others) will remember watching for a long time.

And if you don’t know who Bruce McAvaney is, you might recognise his voice from this iconic call of Cathy Freeman’s 400m victory at Sydney 2000.

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The number of starting fullbacks that the Wallabies have now lost to injury during this year’s Rugby Championship. After Tom Wright injured his ACL in South Africa, Andrew Kellaway is the most recent player to succumb to injury after straining his calf in training this week. He will miss this weekend’s match against the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland. According to reports, young gun Max Jorgensen will move from the wing start at fullback in Kellaway’s place. Other changes to the starting side will see James O’Connor at fly half, Harry Potter on the wing, Allan Alaalatoa making his first Rugby Championship appearance this year, and Nick Frost back in the second row. The last time the Wallabies beat the All Blacks at Eden Park was in 1986.

“When a club’s got a couple of stars on its badges, it’s special. Because you only earn them one way, and that is by winning a European Cup or a Champions League. You literally can’t buy that. You have to earn that.”
Australian football coach Ange Postecoglou speaking about his new Premier League club, Nottingham Forest, ahead of the side’s first Europa League clash tomorrow morning against Spanish club Real Betis. It’s the club’s first match in a European tournament since 1996. Forest was once a giant of European football, having won the European Cup (now called the Champions League) in 1979 and 1980. Postecoglou won the Europa League (one tier below the Champions League) with Spurs last season, ending a 17-year wait for a major trophy before being sacked for the club’s poor performance in the Premier League.

France’s Simon Billy holds the record for the fastest speed ever recorded on a set of skis. Billy hit 255.5 kilometres per hour on 22 March 2023 at Vars, a ski resort in France. The previous record was held by Ivan Origone of Italy, who hit a top speed of 254.958 km/h in 2016.

⚽ The Socceroos could face Lionel Messi and Argentina for the third time in three years, this time in India. Reports claim Kerala’s 40,000-seat Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is being lined up for a November friendly, though Football Australia has not publicly confirmed any details. It would follow Argentina’s 2-1 World Cup win in Qatar in 2022 and 2-0 victory in Beijing last year. The Socceroos are already scheduled to play Canada and the United States in October as part of their 2026 World Cup preparations.

🏏 Dickie Bird, one of cricket’s most iconic umpires, has died aged 92. A former Yorkshire and Leicestershire player whose career was cut short by injury, Bird made his name as an official, standing in 66 Tests, 76 one-day internationals and three World Cup finals between 1973 and 1996. He was renowned for his fairness, humour and love of the game, becoming perhaps the most recognisable umpire in cricket history. Tributes have flowed from across the sport, with his former clubs hailing a legendary career.

🏀 Australian women’s basketball coach Sandy Brondello has been let go by the New York Liberty, less than a year after taking the team to its first WNBA championship. Brondello leaves the Liberty with 107 wins, the most in franchise history, but injuries to key stars derailed this season and ended in a first-round play-off exit. She remains coach of the Opals and is set to lead Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while also expected to be in demand for other WNBA roles. The WNBA playoffs are down to just four teams, with the Minnesota Lynx taking on the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever playing the Las Vegas Aces in the semi-finals. Today, the Mercury and the Aces both recorded wins to level their respective best of five series at one match each.

Used to yawning? We’d like you to read this…

If your energy levels are clocking off before you do, it might be time to rethink your routine. 

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Always read the label and follow the directions for use. 

England has unveiled a 16-man squad for this summer’s men’s cricket Ashes in Australia. 

Ben Stokes will captain, with Harry Brook promoted to vice-captain at the expense of Ollie Pope, whose top-order batting spot is under pressure after a lean run of form. 

Here’s what to know. 

The tourists are banking on speed, naming Jofra Archer and Mark Wood among six pace bowlers, though both have battled injuries. Eleven players in the squad have never played a Test in Australia. Chris Woakes is a notable omission, while 21-year-old Jacob Bethell is tipped as a surprise batting option.

Will Jacks has also been recalled as a back-up spinner to Shoaib Bashir, despite only three first-class outings this year and a broken finger keeping him out of England’s white-ball tour to New Zealand. Fitness remains a major concern with Stokes, Wood, Bashir and Archer all under question marks.

Australia’s selectors are expected to name their squad closer to the opening Test, with early Sheffield Shield form likely to play a key role in final decisions. 

The five-Test series begins in Perth on 21 November, as England chase a first Ashes triumph since 2015.

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The Ryder Cup returns this weekend, bringing with it a fierce rivalry and some of the best golf in the world. 

Here's what to know before the best men’s golfers from the United States and Europe face off.

The Ryder Cup, first staged in 1927, is one of golf’s greatest spectacles. 

Every two years, 12 of the best golfers from each side battle it out in match play. Europe are the defending champions after winning in Rome in 2023, though the U.S. still lead the overall tally with 27 wins to Europe’s 15, along with two ties.

The contest spans three days with 28 matches in total. Each match is worth one point, with half a point awarded if scores are tied after 18 holes.

The first two days feature foursomes, where two players from each side take alternate shots, and four-balls, where each player plays their own ball and the best score on each hole counts. 

The final day is singles, with all 12 players going head-to-head. The first team to reach 14½ points wins the Cup. If it ends 14–14, the defending champions retain the trophy.

The 45th Ryder Cup tees off at Bethpage Black in New York on 26 September. Europe arrive with a strong core led by Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Norway’s Viktor Hovland. England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick also bring proven pedigree.

Meanwhile, Team USA boast world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, 2020 Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, and two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau. 

Europe’s fighting spirit has been its hallmark, but on paper, the Americans are favourites to win back the Ryder Cup.

Traditionally, there is no prize money awarded at the Ryder Cup. In the lead-up to this year’s competition, attention has turned to player payments, with all 12 Americans and captain Keegan Bradley receiving $US500,000 ($AU755,000) each. 

While $300,000 of this was already earmarked to be donated to charity, the team has come under criticism for the payments. On Tuesday, Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele all pledged to donate their full share to charity. Europe’s players continue to compete without financial reward.

Play begins at 6:00pm on Friday (AEST) and will run through the night across the three days of competition. You can watch the Ryder Cup on Kayo and Foxtel.