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• The Rugby Championship: Springboks targeting revenge with glory on the line

  South Africa had the chance to clinch their first Rugby Championship title since 2019 last Saturday, only to be edged out by Argentina, setting up a grandstand finish.

  Rassie Erasmus' side had a perfect record to that point, but that narrow 29-28 defeat now means the Pumas have a slim chance of getting their hands on the trophy for the first time.

  Argentina will be backing themselves for another upset after impressing in the tournament, and they will look to overturn the odds with one more big win.  

  Meanwhile, Australia will be aiming to finish their underwhelming tournament on a high, though they face another stern test against the All Blacks.

  Ahead of the final round of fixtures, we look at the best Opta facts and figures to preview both games.

  NEW ZEALAND V AUSTRALIA

  After succumbing to the record-breaking 67-27 defeat against Argentina in the fourth round, Australia failed to turn their luck around despite a spirited fightback against New Zealand last time out.

  Joe Schmidt will endeavour to finish the tournament on a high after seeing his side struggle for much of it, though they face an uphill task having won only one of their last 13 Tests against the All Blacks (D1 L11).

  The Wallabies have also won only one of their last five Test matches (L4), and have lost their last two, though they have scored more points in those defeats (55) than they managed in the three Tests prior (39 – W1 D2).

  New Zealand will still feel fairly confident though, having won their last eight matches against Australia, although their last two victories in that run have come by a three-point margin.

  In Wellington, the All Blacks are undefeated in five Tests against their hosts (W4 D1), conceding only 10.8 points per game in that streak.

   

  However, overall, they have won just one of their last seven trips to the city (D2 L4), beating France 26-13 in June 2018, going winless in their last five Tests since in Wellington (D2 L3).

  It is likely that Australia will need to take advantage of any opportunity they get, with their success of stealing opposition line-outs an obvious strength.

  They have won the joint-most of any team in the tournament so far (nine, level with New Zealand), though they will need to improve on the one they managed against Scott Robertson's side in the last match.

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  New Zealand – Rieko Ioane

  Rieko Ioane has made dominant contact on 64% of his 35 carries (18/35) in the Rugby Championship – the best rate of any player in the tournament (min. 10 carries).

  He has made three line breaks across his last three Test matches, more than he logged in his seven games prior for the All Blacks (two).

  Australia – Hunter Paisami

  Hunter Paisami has scored three tries in his last four Test matches, including one against New Zealand last time out.

  He had not crossed the try line in his 26 career appearances for the Wallabies prior to that run.

  SOUTH AFRICA V ARGENTINA

  South Africa had one hand on the trophy last weekend, and though they have opened the door for Argentina, they still have a great chance of winning the trophy.

  The Springboks will be confident they can bounce back from that loss, having won 17 of their 18 Test matches against Argentina on home soil (L1), with their only such defeat coming back in August 2015 in Durban.

  Their record in Nelspruit is even stronger, winning all four of their Tests in the city, overcoming half-time deficits in three of those victories. South Africa defeated New Zealand 26-10 in their last match there, which is their largest margin of victory at Mbombela Stadium.

  However, Argentina's confidence will be sky-high after snapping an eight-match losing streak against South Africa – they have never won back-to-back games against them before.

  The Pumas have also won their last two Tests against Tier One opposition, as many as they managed in their seven such fixtures before that (W2 L5). If they can beat South Africa again, they will register their longest such winning streak since the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

  And Felipe Contepomi will be urging his side to maintain their high discipline level as they aim to overturn the odds.

  Argentina are the only team yet to receive a red or yellow card in the tournament and have conceded the fewest penalties (50) of any team in the campaign. In fact, they have not received a red or yellow card across their last 12 Test matches.

  Only a win by a bonus point, without South Africa picking up one of their own, will be enough to hand Argentina their first title, but they have scored 96 points in their last two outings, so they cannot be overlooked.

   

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  South Africa – Ruan Nortje

  Ruan Nortje has won 31 lineouts (including two steals) in the Rugby Championship – seven more than any other in the tournament.

  In addition, he has been the first to arrive at 63 of the Springboks' rucks, the second most of any player for a team in the campaign (Carlo Tizzano – 64 for Australia).

  Argentina – Mateo Carreras

  Mateo Carreras has been directly involved in six tries in his last six Test matches (five tries, one try assist), including two tries and a try assist in his last two Tests.

  He has scored a try in each of his two career appearances against South Africa, as well as a try assist in his most recent meeting against the Springboks.

• Upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup set to mark next step in evolution of the game

  Women’s cricket has enjoyed substantial growth in the last 15 years, and it is no coincidence that this rise has come alongside the emergence of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

  While Australia may currently be the women’s game’s pre-eminent force, there is a feeling of the sport becoming more open, with nations outside of the traditional powers starting to emerge.

  The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup itself has grown, a fact made clear in that just eight teams contested the first competition in England in 2009. The tournament was held simultaneously with the men’s competition, and the form of the hosts captivated a nation.

  This culminated in over 12,000 attending the final at Lord's, where Charlotte Edwards’ side defeated New Zealand by six wickets to become the inaugural champions. The triumph pushed England women into the spotlight, with the same being said of Australia when they claimed the title in 2010 and how they have run with it since.

  Their margin of victory over New Zealand at the Kensington Oval might have been slim (three runs), but it kicked off an era of dominance that continues to this day. Australian players such as Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning became prized commodities off the back of the exploits at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, with teams all over the world bidding for their services.

  Lanning was the top run scorer in the 2014 tournament in Bangladesh, the first in which 10 teams took part, as her country claimed their third consecutive title.

  There was a new name on the trophy, however, when the competition moved to India in 2016 as the West Indies crowned their emergence as a leading nation by dethroning the Australians at Eden Gardens.

  It was the first women’s final to take place on the same day as the men's, and it set the tone, with the Windies’ men going on to memorably defeat England, making the men and women from the Caribbean double world champions.

  The holders then hosted in 2018 as Australia reclaimed the trophy that year, and they have not relinquished it since. Indeed, it was when they hosted in 2020 that the competition truly was taken to new heights. This was capped by the extraordinary attendance of 86,174 at the MCG—a record for a women’s cricket match—that witnessed Australia’s victory over first-time finalists, India.

  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 turned out to be the largest global sporting event to take place for some time, and it sticks in the memory for all the right reasons.

  Its increased profile that year also brought rewards of the prize money for the winners of US$1 million, five times more than what was awarded in 2018.

  That is a figure that has continued to skyrocket, with the winners of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the United Arab Emirates set to take home US$2.34 million.

  Nine other countries will be taking on one of the toughest tasks in the sport, dethroning Australia, when the action gets under way on October 3.

  With household names among the challengers, such as Nat Sciver-Brunt (England), Smriti Mandhana (India), and Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), set to lead the challenge for their respective nations, we are set for the most explosive competition yet.

• Varane announces surprise retirement after suffering knee injury

  Former Real Madrid and Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has surprisingly announced his retirement from football, just two months after joining Como.

  Varane left United as a free agent at the end of last season after three years at Old Trafford, having endured an injury-hit 2023-24 campaign.

  He previously spent 10 years with Madrid, winning LaLiga three times and the Champions League on four occasions, also playing a key role as France won the 2018 World Cup.

  Varane joined newly promoted Serie A side Como, who are managed by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, in July but suffered a knee injury on his debut last month.

  Following that setback, the centre-back has decided to hang up his boots at the age of just 31.

  He wrote in an Instagram post: "They say all good things must come to an end. 

  "In my career I have taken on many challenges, rose to occasion after occasion, almost all of it was supposed to be impossible.

  "I hold myself to the highest standard, I want to go out strong, not just holding on to the game. It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct. 

  "Desire and needs are two different things. I have fallen and risen a thousand times, and this time, it's the moment to stop and hang my boots up with my final game winning a trophy at Wembley.

  "I have no regrets, I wouldn't change a thing. I have won more than I could have even dreamed of, but beyond the accolades and trophies, I am proud that I have stuck to my principles of being sincere and have tried to leave everywhere better than I found it. 

  "And so, a new life begins off the pitch. I will remain with Como. Just without using my boots and shin pads. Something I am looking forward to sharing more about soon."