Author: Australian Associated Press

Posted on

Australia’s Davis Cup campaign ended by Belgium despite Alex de Minaur’s redemption

  • Aleksandar Vukic loses final decider against Raphael Collignon 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-3

  • Earlier De Minaur defeated Zizou Bergs and Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson won doubles

Australia’s men’s tennis stars have suffered Davis Cup despair, falling a set short of completing one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the 125-year-old competition.

A day after overcoming severe cramping to defy Alex de Minaur, unfancied world No 91 Raphael Collignon wore down late stand-in Aleksandar Vukic 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-3 in the deciding rubber to lead Belgium to a pulsating 3-2 second-round qualifying triumph in Sydney.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Broncos edge past Raiders with golden point field goal in thrilling NRL qualifying final

  • Brisbane defeat Canberra 29-28 to secure home preliminary

  • Reece Walsh goes from sin bin to leading unlikely comeback

Brisbane are within one win of the NRL grand final, after Ben Hunt slotted a 93rd-minute field goal to kick the Broncos to an epic 29-28 qualifying final victory over Canberra.

On a day of utter madness at GIO Stadium, Reece Walsh was sin-binned for a head-butt before engineering one of the most unlikely finals comebacks in memory.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Australia on brink of Davis Cup exit as Alex de Minaur stunned by brave Belgian Raphael Collignon

  • World No 8 and Jordan Thompson suffer singles losses in Sydney

  • Belgium take 2-0 lead over Australia in second-round qualifying tie

Tennis officials have been branded “barbaric” as Australia slumped to a shock 2-0 deficit in a dramatic start to their second-round Davis Cup qualifying tie against Belgium in Sydney.

Lowly ranked Raphael Collignon overcame severe cramping to upset world No 8 Alex de Minaur 7-5 3-6 6-3 in a three-hour, 12-minute epic before Zizou Bergs beat Jordan Thompson 7-6 (4) 6-4 in Saturday’s second singles rubber.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Sharks break NRL finals curse to oust Roosters while Panthers keep dream of five alive

  • Cronulla hold off Sydney for 20-10 elimination final victory

  • Penrith defeat NZ Warriors 24-8 to set up semi-final with Bulldogs

Cronulla have proven they are no finals pushovers, ending the Sydney Roosters’ season with a classic 20-10 win in their sudden-death clash at Shark Park.

Often derided for their poor finals record, Cronulla overcome an early deficit and then hung on late to claim victory in a Saturday night bellringer.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Ruthless Hawthorn crush lacklustre Adelaide to secure AFL preliminary final spot

Five goals from veteran Jack Gunston and another Jai Newcombe midfield masterclass have powered Hawthorn to a stirring 34-point semi-final triumph against Adelaide.

The Hawks will meet fierce rivals Geelong in a preliminary final after their 14.17 (101) to 10.7 (67) victory win at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Late Will Warbrick try helps Storm beat injury-hit Bulldogs in qualifying final

  • Melbourne Storm 26-18 Canterbury Bulldogs

  • Visitors hampered by early loss of Stephen Crichton

Melbourne have earned a week off after locking down a preliminary final with a 26-18 victory over a gallant Canterbury, who played much of the match without injured skipper Stephen Crichton.

The top-four teams opened the NRL finals series at AAMI Park on Friday night, with the home side edging the Bulldogs, who were hunting their first play-off victory in 10 years.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Time for ‘little brother’ to knock Brisbane off their perch, Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick says

Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has declared his club will no longer be stomped on or forgotten after beating Fremantle in dramatic fashion to set up a blockbuster Q-Clash semi-final.

The Suns blew a 26-point lead against the Dockers on Saturday night but managed to regain their composure in the dying minutes to seal a famous one-point elimination final win at Optus Stadium.

During finals sign up for our free weekly AFL newsletter

Continue reading...
Posted on

Gold Coast sink Fremantle in wild ending to claim club’s first AFL finals win

Retiring Gold Coast champion David Swallow has kicked a behind with nine seconds remaining to lift his team to a thrilling one-point elimination final win over Fremantle at Optus Stadium.

Fremantle fought back from 26 points down late in the third quarter to take a six-point lead with three minutes remaining in Saturday night’s blockbuster in front of 57,507 fans.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Hawthorn hold off Greater Western Sydney surge in AFL elimination final thriller

Hawthorn sensationally prevailed in a fourth-quarter shootout to claim a 19-point elimination final win over GWS. The Giants had clawed back a game-high 42-point deficit in the third quarter to level the scores at 13.7 (85) early in the fourth at Engie Stadium on Saturday.

But after the Hawks steadied, Sam Butler kicked truly to give them a seven-point lead 17 minutes into the last term, before Mabior Chol slotted two straight goals for the cherry on top in a 16.11 (107) to 13.10 (88) win.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Angus Bell’s last-gasp try gives Wallabies dramatic Rugby Championship win over Argentina

  • Australia edge Pumas 28-24 after thrilling finale to game in Townsville

  • Hosts rewarded for pushing for victory when draw was on table

The Wallabies have turned down three opportunities to kick a match-tying penalty and instead scored an 86th-minute winner in their latest Houdini Test act.

Australia beat Argentina 28-24 in Townsville on Saturday afternoon, with Angus Bell’s barging try coming after the Wallabies trailed by three points with 90 seconds to go.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Geelong lay down AFL marker with emphatic qualifying final win over Brisbane

Perennial AFL premiership contenders Geelong have marched into a home preliminary final with a scintillating and spiteful 38-point qualifying final win over reigning premiers Brisbane.

The Cats dominated from the outset as they shrugged off the demons of last year’s preliminary final loss to the Lions, prevailing 16.16 (112) to 11.8 (74) in front of 86,364 at the MCG on Friday night.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Captain Harry Wilson returns as Wallabies make tweaks for crucial Argentina Test

  • Flyhalf Tom Lynagh also returns; Nic White keeps place

  • James O’Connor to come off bench in Townsville on Saturday

Nic White’s retirement tour will continue in Townsville when the halfback partners returning Wallabies flyhalf Tom Lynagh and captain Harry Wilson against Argentina.

Andrew Kellaway has won the battle to fill the injured Tom Wright’s boots at fullback at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday in the other change to the side that lost narrowly in Cape Town a fortnight ago.

Continue reading...
Posted on

‘I will work to regain everyone’s trust’: banned Izak Rankine breaks silence after homophobic slur

  • Adelaide star speaks publicly on return from overseas trip

  • ‘I am fully committed to bettering myself,’ says Crows forward

Adelaide ace Izak Rankine says he is committed to regaining society’s trust in the wake of his AFL ban for a homophobic slur. An emotional Rankine returned to Australia on Tuesday night and fought back tears during a public apology at Adelaide airport.

“Going away has given me space to reflect and educate myself to understand the weight of my mistake,” Rankine said. “And I am fully committed to bettering myself. In the next few days I will be standing in front of my teammates and the AFLW and apologising to them personally – and they deserve this at the very least.

Ahead of finals sign up for our free weekly AFL newsletter

Continue reading...
Posted on

Pat Cummins faces race to be fit for first Ashes Test due to ongoing back issue

  • Australia captain to miss home white-ball series against India

  • Mitchell Starc retires from T20Is as squad named to tour New Zealand

Australia still expect Pat Cummins to be available for the first Ashes Test, even as the captain deals with stress in his back.

The star quick will miss the upcoming T20 tour of New Zealand and back-to-back home white-ball series against India due to lumbar bone stress.

Ahead of finals sign up for our free weekly AFL newsletter

Continue reading...
Posted on

Alex de Minaur eases into last eight of US Open with straight sets win

  • Australian No 1 too good for Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi

  • No 25 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime awaits in quarter-final

It took until the second week of the US Open for the No 8 seed to be given a slot on one of the US Open’s three show courts, but having finally been granted a premium placing Alex de Minaur has wasted no time putting on a show.

In truth the Australian No 1 did not play at his best, but he did not need to as his opponent, Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi, made a slew of errors.

Continue reading...