It’s always good to head into the weekend armed with a little random sports trivia. So, here’s one for you.

When the Matildas qualified for the 1995 World Cup, they weren’t actually known as the Matildas. At the time, they were simply Australia’s women’s football team.

Looking to give the team a more distinct identity, broadcaster SBS and the Australian Women’s Soccer Association decided to ask the public to choose a nickname.

They put forward five options: the Soccertoos, Blue Flyers, Waratahs, Matildas and Lorikeets.

It seems Australian fans made the right call.

⚽ Cristiano Ronaldo has announced he won’t play for Portugal anymore, ending a career that spanned six World Cups and included a European title and the men’s all-time international scoring record. The announcement marked the end of a career that began more than two decades ago, before Euro 2004, and finished with him walking out on the national team after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. “To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the no.7 shirt of our national team,” the 41-year-old Ronaldo said in a long video message on social media. “Today the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart.”

🏏 The Brisbane Heat have ended a 706-day WBBL winless drought with a 14-run triumph over Adelaide, led by Charli Knott. The Heat stalwart’s 104 launched Brisbane to 4-184 in Sydney, before the Strikers replied with 5-170 from their 20 overs. Only four Heat players were on the team the last time they won, in the Challenger final back in November 2024. It was a triumphant comeback for Knott, who averaged 13 last summer and around 19 across her 70-game WBBL career, with 12 fours and four sixes in her epic 61-ball knock. Heat captain Georgia Redmayne said: “706 is my new favourite number… There’s a bit of emotion in the team. We’re all very glad to get over that hurdle.” In the other match, the Perth Scorchers knocked over the Sydney Thunder for 166 in 19 overs. After Perth captain Sophie Devine self-retired, England allrounder Freya Kemp made her way to the middle and crushed 30 off 10.

🎾 Rinky Hijikata has backed up his defeat of Novak Djokovic with another impressive win in Paris, downing Tomás Martín Etcheverry to reach his first Masters quarter-final. The 25-year-old Australian came from behind to beat the Argentine world no.31 2-6 6-3 7-5 in two hours, six minutes. It was an extra sweet victory for the Aussie as Etcheverry had knocked out Aus no.1 Alex de Minaur earlier in the tournament, and it also means Hijikata is in the top 60 in the world for the first time ever. Beginning the event in qualifying, ranked at no.83, Hijikata has beaten five high∂noer-ranked players so far and will climb to no.48 if he does it again.

Together with AAP.

Talking points: Semi-final weekend at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup has arrived. On Saturday in Newcastle, the first women’s semi-final will see New Zealand take on Samoa. The Kiwi Ferns are hoping to maintain their record of reaching the final at every Rugby League World Cup.

That match will be followed by a men’s semi-final between New Zealand and Tonga. Tonga’s men topped their pool with a 20-18 win over Samoa last weekend and are hoping to reach the final for the first time.

On Sunday in Sydney, the second women’s semi-final will see defending champions the Jillaroos take on semi-final debutants Fiji. Afterwards, the Kangaroos, who are also defending champions, will face Samoa in a rematch of the 2022 final.

The winners of the four semi-finals will advance to the respective men’s and women’s World Cup finals, which will both be played on 15 November at Suncorp Stadium.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Wheelaroos are playing in the third round of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup tonight, taking on France in Wollongong. Both teams have won their opening two matches and will be looking to remain unbeaten. The match is a rematch of the 2022 semi-final, which France won 84-40.

How to watch: You can watch all three Rugby League World Cup tournaments on Channel 7 and 7plus.

Talking points: The Wallabies begin the northern leg of the inaugural Nations Championship with a trip to Twickenham to face England, with the match kicking off early on Monday morning for Australian viewers.

The new tournament brings together six northern hemisphere teams and six southern hemisphere teams.

Australia finished the southern leg in July with one win from three matches, beating Italy but losing to Ireland and France. Meanwhile, England lost to South Africa before recording wins over Fiji and Argentina.

The Wallabies head into this weekend’s match looking to bounce back from back-to-back Bledisloe Cup losses to New Zealand.

The last two meetings between Australia and England at Twickenham have produced contrasting results. The Wallabies snatched a 42-37 win in 2024 thanks to a Max Jorgensen try after the siren, before England claimed a 25-7 victory last year.

Other notable fixtures this weekend include Argentina taking on Ireland and the All Blacks playing Scotland.

How to watch: The Wallabies v England match will kick off on Monday 9 November at 2:10am (AEDT). You can watch all Nations Championship matches on Stan Sport.

Talking points: We’ve reached the pointy end of the AFLW season with the qualifying and elimination finals this weekend. Saturday will see both qualifying finals in a double-header in Melbourne. The Cats play the Dees at 1.05pm, followed by the North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Carlton at 4.05pm. The last time the Cats faced the Dees, Geelong lost by 14 points. They may have an advantage this time around, however, with former Dees coach Mick Stinear at the helm and facing his old side for the first time.

In the second match, the nearly-unstoppable Kangaroos will see this as just another hurdle to jump over on their way to a championship three-peat. A loss here would be their first ever to Carlton, and would see them face the winner of the GC Suns and the Hawks next week.

Sunday’s two games will start with the Swans facing the Bulldogs in Sydney’s Inner West at 1.05pm. The Swans may need the hometown advantage to notch another win against the Bulldogs, who’ve beaten them twice from three games. At 3.05pm, the GC Suns will play the Hawks, and like the Swans the Suns will be hoping for a hometown boost to score their first win over Hawthorn.

How to watch: All matches will be available on 7 and 7Plus.

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