🏏 We Are The Champions

Stop hitting snooze, it's Monday, 4 April

🔊 Sport Today Podcast

This morning, Sam Ferris and Martin Gabor are at the mic. 

Today's listen time: 10 minutes

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

📺  What we're watching 

🏀 10.00am - March Madness Women's Final - South Carolina v Connecticut - Target Centre, Minneapolis - Foxtel, Kayo

🏏 1.00pm - Sheffield Shield Final - Western Australia v Victoria - WACA Ground, Perth - Foxtel, Kayo

🏀 9.30pm - NBL - Perth Wildcats v Melbourne United - RAC Arena, Perth - Foxtel, Kayo

All times are in AEST

🏏 On top of the world

There’s been a lot of talk about the FIFA World Cup lately, but the big one was right in front of us this whole time. Let’s not worry about what could be and focus on the now after our all-conquering women's cricket team proved they are the best in the world by winning the Women's World Cup. 

The score: Australia 5/365 defeated England 285.

Golden points: Keep the champagne blowing because our cricketers won the Women’s 50-over World Cup for a record 7th time. 

• She went big in the semi-final but Alyssa Healy went even bigger with a record 170 in the decider. That’s the highest score ever in a men’s or women’s World Cup final. No wonder she was named player of the match and tournament.

• Credit where it’s due, Nat Sciver scored a stunning 148 not out in the run chase but didn’t have much support because the Aussie spinners combined for 7 wickets.

Stat attack: There were some pretty enjoyable stats to come out of yesterday’s game. Healy’s 509 runs are the most ever at a women’s World Cup. The Aussies were 9/9 at the World Cup.  And they’ve won 40/42 one-dayers since they lost in the semis at the 2017 World Cup. 

What’s next: They dominated the Ashes and the World Cup. Now they can start planning on a gold rush at the Commonwealth Games later this year.

Watch it: Sit back and watch Healy go bang with the bat. 

🏉 Broncos in a world of Payne

The Broncos have lost 2 games in a row and things could get a whole lot worse after a video was released allegedly showing their best player fighting a teammate.

Golden points: In the video, prop forward Payne Haas allegedly punches teammate Albert Kelly in the face and then pushes him away at a pub.

• The club has reported this to the NRL Integrity Unit so it’s now up to them to investigate the incident that happened last month.

• It’s not great timing for Haas who is looking for a new deal worth $1 million a season.

• The forward has some off-field history. He was fined $50,000 and suspended for 3 games following an altercation with police last year.

What are the chances… the players get suspended? That’s up to the Integrity Unit and that might take a while. We already know Kelly will be out for a few months after he suffered a serious foot injury on Saturday.

Watch it: Here's video of the alleged incident. 

🏉 Women's footy finalists are locked in

It was a big weekend of women's footy. We found out the grand finalists for both the AFLW and NRLW competitions and while most of it went to script there was a huge upset in the rugby league. 

The score: Roosters defeated Broncos 22-16. 

Golden points: Brisbane’s reign at the top is over after they blew a 16-0 lead to the Roosters. It means they won’t get the chance to defend their 3-straight titles.

• The Roosters scored 22 points in a row to beat the minor premiers in a huge upset.

• They’ll play the Dragons on Sunday after St George Illawarra survived a late scare to beat the Titans 24-18.

• In the AFLW, competition favourites the Crows and Demons will meet in the Grand Final.

• The Crows beat the Dockers by 14 points but the Demons had a much tougher time with the Lions, winning by just 4.

What’s next: The Grand Final(s)! Adelaide Oval will host the AFLW GF on Saturday at 12.30pm (AEST). On Sunday at 1.30pm (AEST) it's the NRLW GF in Redcliffe. 

🏉 Reds get their redemption 

It’s not all bad news for footy fans in Queensland. The NRLW supporters may be feeling the blues, but rugby union lovers are redder than ever after a big win over a key rival.

Golden points: The Queensland Reds are top of the Super Rugby Pacific table after they beat the Brumbies 21-7.

• Top of the table might need an asterisk because they are level with the Brumbies on 26 competition points. Incredibly, the teams even have the same for and against.

• It was a revenge game for the Reds who lost to the Brumbies just 2 weeks ago.

• That was the first time the Brumbies had been beaten in 2022 and it also means they haven’t won at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane since 2015.

What’s next: There are 4 Aussie teams in the top 8 at the halfway point of the regular season. That’s great news for fans, especially with Super Round heading to Melbourne in a few weeks where all 6 games will be played from 22-24 April. 

🏀 Simmons airs his grievances

It’s a pretty exciting time to be a basketball fan right now with the playoffs only a couple of weeks ago. But Ben Simmons has other things to worry about with a potential lawsuit looming with his former team.

Golden points: Simmons does not have much time for the Philadelphia 76ers after the way they treated him following last season’s playoffs. 

• Slow down! Okay, let’s back it up a bit. Simmons was called out by his coach and teammates after the playoffs. That didn’t go down well so he asked to be traded.

• When that didn’t happen, he stopped training and playing. So the 76ers decided to dock his pay because Simmons was breaching his contract. 

• He was eventually traded to Brooklyn, but the drama isn't over. Simmons says he didn’t play because of mental health reasons and now he wants his $27 million back.

Key click: Simmons has filed a grievance against the 76ers. Click here to find out more about what happens next. 

👀 Quick singles

🏏 Australia's men's cricketers didn't have as much joy as the women's team this weekend. They lost the one-day series to Pakistan 2-1 but have a shot at redemption in the one-off T20 on Wednesday morning (AEST).

⛳ Tigers Woods has left us hanging about a possible return in this week's Masters. Woods hasn't played a professional tournament since a major car crash last year, and says his possible return this week will be a 'game-time decision'. 

⚽ The Socceroos will play France, Tunisia and Denmark at the FIFA World Cup if they can get through the next round of qualifying. Don’t book your flights yet because the Aussies still have to beat the UAE and then Peru. 

🏀 Kansas and North Carolina booked their spots in the final of the men’s March Madness competition. It means Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has coached his final game after 42 seasons in charge.

🎾 The Barty Party is over but the celebrations are just getting started for Iga Świątek. The Polish star is the new world #1 and is flying high after she crushed Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final. 

🚴‍♀️ Start pedalling because the Tour Down Under is back after a couple of COVID-ravaged years. Australia’s biggest cycling event hasn’t been on since 2020 but it will return next January. 

🏉 History was made in the Super W comp after the Fijiana Drua beat the Waratahs over the weekend. It’s the first time the Waratahs have ever lost a Super W game and it means the Drua remain undefeated in their first season. 

🏀 Someone get the Sydney Kings their crown after they recorded a 10th-straight win in the NBL. The 20-point victory over the JackJumpers takes their record to 15-7 and has them level with Melbourne United on top of the table. 

🏀 The Perth Lynx are one win away from the WNBL title after they belted the Boomers in their series opener. A win on Wednesday would be Perth’s first title since 1992 when they were called the Perth Breakers. 

🙃 Left of field…

Forget about a Cinderella story. Ryan Reynolds showed why he’s a superhero as Wrexham qualified for the FA Trophy Final.

Golden points: It might seem strange to be talking about a Hollywood star and a lower-tier knockout football comp in the UK, but here we are.

• Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney bought the small club last year and have 100% ownership.

• Fans weren’t exactly thrilled when they took over, but they were chanting their support after Wrexham scored twice in stoppage time to win 2-0. Check out the cracking first goal in the highlights below.

Watch it: The win means Wrexham is into the FA Trophy Final for the 3rd time in 9 years. They’ll play Bromley at Wembley Stadium on 23 May. There’s going to be a doco about all this, so we’re just waiting to see what the party looks like if they win.

📽 The highlight reel

There were plenty of highlights from Parramatta's big win over the Dragons in the NRL. But we can't go past this moment from the press conference when coach Brad Arthur's phone went off.

📸 Photo finish

What would you do you do after winning a World Cup? Well, Aussie fast bowler Darcie Brown opted to solve a Rubik's Cube.

🏃‍♀️ The finish line

🏆 Today's trivia answer

The Crusaders are 3rd on 23 points and they have a game in hand.