The Wallabies deserved better ... that's to lose a heartbreaker this week

The Age

2 days ago

Eddie, a hard marker on these things, came away impressed with everything that went with us rugby invaders in his town, texting John and I after the second Test: 'What an amazing night for your code. 90,000 at the MCG! Record. Amazing game. Not sure why we didn't get the last penalty. Ref has no idea about setting up a huge result and a big final game. Another effing tax auditor ruining the game!! Almost the perfect result. Still an amazing night. You should be very proud of the rugby culture. A week of joy. More please!'
Are you ready, Eddie? More to come. Tonight!
Trump's golf antics say it all
The most staggering sports footage of the week, however?
I know it, you know it.
It was the vision of US President Donald Trump playing golf in Scotland. His cart pulls up before the bunker he has put his tee shot into. You or I would have hacked about in the sand, cursing wicked fate that had allowed the wind to catch our shot at the last second and make it veer into the trap.
Not Trump. That is not the way he plays golf. His caddie knew what to do. He casually threw another ball behind him, just in front of Trump, so that the Commander-in-Cheat could play from the grass. Trump, of course, didn't blink. This is not just the way he plays, it's the way he has always played.
It's why the great American sportswriter Rick Reilly wrote a book called Commander-in-Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump and said: 'Donald Trump is the worst cheat ever, and he doesn't care who knows. I always say golf is like bicycle shorts. It reveals a lot about a man. And golf reveals a lot of ugliness in this president.'
Of course, that ugliness is on display every day, in every way, and we don't need golf to prove it. I'll stop now. But ...
A family that Fastnets together, stays together
As if you didn't know, last week they had the centenary running of the famous Fastnet Yacht Race, the gruelling 695-nautical-mile (1287km) marathon from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, past the iconic Fastnet Rock and finishing in France's Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. For many, it's the northern hemisphere's answer to the Sydney to Hobart, both legendary for testing the world's best offshore sailors across wild seas and shifting currents. This time, it delivered its trademark brew of tidal puzzles and world-class competition, but more so!
Amid the record 451 yachts, Sydney's Bedouin quietly caught the eye—and not just for her green-and-gold connection. Owned and skippered by Linda Goddard, Bedouin's crew brought together her three daughters, her son, and their trusted navigator Alice Parker, meaning half the team were women – a stat that's still rare at this altitude of ocean racing.
Guided expertly from the Solent's tricky waters all the way to Cherbourg, Bedouin sailed a near-perfect race, outfoxing rivals to clinch their division on handicap. It's another impressive notch on the belt after last year's Aegean 600 victory, and proof that the family formula works wonders.
Cronk not sold on Raiders
Cooper, Cooper, Cooper, I said. 'I said love, I said, pet, I said look ...!'
Yes, the Raiders are on top of the NRL comp, and yes, they have played really well, but I for one don't believe they'll actually win. You are Cooper Cronk. You played this stuff, live this stuff, breathe this stuff, eat this stuff and commentate on this stuff. If you had to put the sheep station on it, when the smoke clears on grand final day, who will be standing on top of the podium, spraying each other with champagne while Gus Gould inevitably says it was the greatest game ever played?
'Melbourne Storm,' he said.
They said it
England women's soccer star Beth Mead reveals that a message on coach Sarina Wiegman 's toiletries bag proved inspirational in the Lionesses' victory at Euro 2025: 'She had a little toiletry bag that said 'Bitches get shit done', and bitches got shit done today.' Wayne Bennett could try it?
An England government spokesman on not giving a public holiday for the win: 'If we had a bank holiday every time the Lionesses win, we'd never go to work.'
Morgan Turinui was unhappy with the second Test refereeing, when it came to whether or not the winning Lions try should have been disallowed: 'His two assistant referees got it wrong. Joel Jutge, the head of the referees, is out here on a junket. He needs to haul those referees in and ask for a please explain. It's a point of law. It's in black and white, it's not about bias.'
Lions coach Andy Farrell didn't agree: 'I suppose you wouldn't have backed us [when the Lions were losing] at 23-5 but to find a way … it adds to the story, doesn't it? It adds to the fairytale. To be part of that is an honour.'
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt on his team following the loss: 'They were broken at the end of it. You've got to keep resolve and you've got to keep going forward, and we can't, and we won't, wallow in self-pity.'
Schmidt, on their progress: 'It's never linear, it always tends to ebb and flow. We are trying to build consistency, we're trying to play a brand of rugby that entertains people and, at the same time, a brand of rugby that we enjoy playing.'
Max Jorgensen on losing to the Lions in Melbourne: 'It really hurts, it's a really tough pill to swallow ... it's something you only do once in your career [face the Lions] … unless you're [James Slipper].'
St Kilda's Marcus Windhager on the plan to defeat Melbourne with eight seconds left: ' For play to proceed, the umpires were saying everyone needed to get back to their starting positions, I just came back to Rowan [Marshall] and I'm like, 'f--- it, why don't you just try and get a mark around the 50', and Nas [Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera] just bolted for it and it was done to perfection.'
Oscar Piastri after winning the Belgian Grand Prix: 'Nicely done.'
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, welcoming the 1980 Olympians back into the fold: 'The returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments. Today we fix that. Today, on the 45th anniversary, we recognise all that you have achieved and acknowledge all that you have overcome. Take pride in both. You are Olympians. You are Australians and you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation. Welcome to parliament and welcome home.'
Aussie swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan on winning gold at the world championships: 'I really wanted it, to be honest. I always want it, no matter the race. I think that's why we're swimmers at the end of the day.'
Matildas coach Joe Montemurro on the Matildas' bid for Asian Cup redemption: 'They know what they need to do in terms of fixing what was not a positive tournament in India. We've got the advantage of being at home, we've got the crowd behind us. We've got everyone in good shape, and picking the squad's going to be an interesting one.'
Our Kaylee McKeown on winning the 100m backstroke at the world championships and not feeling sorry for her opponents: 'That's swimming and the nature of it. You've got to be competitive and get up there. If she beats me, she would feel the same way. It's just what happens. People beat people.'
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Team of the Week
Tadej Pogacar. Won his fourth Tour de France.
St Kilda. Came back from 46 points behind at three-quarter-time, scoring two goals in the final minute to beat Melbourne 96-90 on Sunday.
M elbourne Vixens. Came from behind to defeat the NSW Swifts 66-65 and book a berth against the West Coast Fever in the Super Netball grand final.
Oscar Piastri. Won again. The Hungarian Grand Prix is this weekend in Budapest.
Alex de Minaur. Won his 10th ATP singles title in Washington DC.