🏀 JackJump For Joy

Keep on truckin', it's Tuesday, 3 May

🔊 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

🏒 9.00am - NHL Playoffs - Hurricanes v Bruins - PNC Arena, Raleigh - Foxtel, Kayo

🏀 12.00pm - NBA Playoffs - Suns v Mavericks - Footprint Centre, Phoenix - Foxtel, Kayo

⚽ 7.05pm - A-League Men - Roar v Mariners - Moreton Daily Stadium, Redcliffe - Paramount+

All times are in AEST

🏀 Cinderella story has one more massive twist

It looks like a modern version of Cinderella is playing out in front of our eyes. But this time the glass slipper has been replaced by size 15 shoes.

The score: JackJumpers 76 defeated United 73.

Golden points: The fairytale run of basketball’s newest team is still alive after the Tasmania JackJumpers shocked Melbourne United to reach the NBL Grand Final.

• The team from Tassie was expected to struggle. After all, this is their first season in the comp.

• But they snuck into the finals, forced a deciding game 3 against the defending champs, and then won on the road to set up a showdown with the Sydney Kings.

• Josh Adams was the star with 30 points, while Melbourne really missed Chris Goulding. He was ruled out yesterday with a calf injury.

They said it: “We're on top of the world right now.” - Someone tell Josh Adams that this isn’t a dream.

What’s next: Things don’t get any easier for them. The JackJumpers now play the Kings in a best-of-5 series, with possibly 3 games in Sydney. It all starts on Friday night at Qudos Bank Arena.

Watch it: Here are the highlights from last night's famous win.

🏉 Aussie girls in sevens heaven

Bust out some Freddie Mercury because we are the champions of rugby sevens yet again. And get a towel to wipe away the sweat because this was a nervy win.

Golden points: Australia clinched the women’s rugby sevens World Series yesterday after they beat New Zealand in Canada.

• Talk about late drama. The Aussies were behind when the full-time siren sounded, but that didn’t matter because Lily Dick scored 90 seconds later to seal the 21-17 win.

• What an epic result! Keep the champagne flowing because this was their first World Series title and first win over NZ since 2018.

• The win in Canada was Australia’s 4th gold medal from 5 events this season. It did help that NZ didn’t play in the first 4 because of border restrictions.

What’s next: There’s still one more leg of the World Series, but all eyes are on the Comm Games in Birmingham. There’s a score to settle because the Kiwis beat the Aussies in extra time for the gold medal at the last Comm Games on the Gold Coast in 2018.

Watch it: Check out the highlights of the final and the incredible match-winning try.

🏉 Thursday night's a great night for footy

It’s been 20 years since the Wallabies last won the Bledisloe Cup, so it makes sense that they’d try something a bit different to throw the All Blacks off their game.

Golden points: We’ve all spent plenty of Saturday nights rugged up in winter watching international rugby. But there’s been a slight change to the calendar, with Australia to host NZ on a Thursday.

• 15 September, to be exact. And that game will be at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.

• Why a Thursday? It actually makes perfect sense. Organisers don’t want to go head-to-head with the NRL and AFL finals which will be played over the weekend.

• The last time Australia played a mid-week Test was back in 1994. You definitely remember it because George Gregan pulled off a famous tackle on Jeff Wilson.

Key click: Here are all the details for the upcoming Rugby Championship, plus all the info you need for the game between the Wallaroos and Black Ferns that's part of a double-header in Adelaide.

🏉 Narrm will be the norm for the Demons

The Melbourne Demons will look a little bit different in Rounds 10 and 11 of the AFL season. Unfortunately for their opponents, they're still gonna be really hard to beat.

Golden points: The defending premiers will be called Narrm Football Club for this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round. The AFLW team will do the same later in the year.

• Narrm is the Aboriginal name for Melbourne. The club sought permission and information from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

• We’ll see a new logo and jersey, and the club really wants people to start talking about the proud history of the club and Indigenous issues across the country.

• Narrm will be used in Round 10 against the Kangaroos and Round 11 against the Dockers. The club wants this to be a regular thing for the AFL and AFLW teams.

They said it: “There will be little kids here watching us play, asking their parents what the name means and that will start conversations.” - Demons defender Steven May knows how important this will be.

⚽ Aussies scoop Scottish awards

It might be time to change the football chant from “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé” to “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie”.

Golden points: Australians dominated the Professional Footballers' Association awards in Scotland, with Tom Rogic, Ange Postecoglou and Jacynta Galabadaarachchi all winning big.

• You know you’re doing well when you're compared to Argentina’s Lionel Messi. That’s probably why Rogic won goal of the year for his effort against Dundee United.

• Then there’s Postecoglou, who has Celtic one win away from the league title. They’re unbeaten in 29 games and that’s why he was named manager of the year.

• Remember the name Jacynta Galabadaarachchi. She was born and raised in Australia but her mum wants her to play for Argentina. She’s a star for Celtic and was named Young Player of the Year in Scotland.

Watch it: Words won’t do it justice, so here’s that goal Rogic scored in all its glory.

👀 Quick singles

⚽ Russia has been hit by more footballing sanctions in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Russian clubs won’t be allowed to play in any UEFA competitions next season, while they’ve also been banned from playing in this year’s women’s Euro championships.

🏒 Things are about to get a bit chilly because the NHL playoffs start this morning. The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking for their 3rd ice hockey title in a row, but they face plenty of competition this time around.

🏉 South Sydney skipper Cameron Murray says he’s forgiven Karl Lawton after the Sea Eagles forward was sent off for a dangerous tackle last week. Murray escaped injury but Lawton has been banned for the next 4 games.

🏀 The Golden State Warriors picked up a crucial win on the road to start their NBA series against Memphis. But they had to do it without key player Draymond Green after he was ejected in wild scenes just before half-time.

🏁 We could see some new F1 teams with Audi and Porsche deciding to join the competition. It looks like Porsche might team up with Red Bull, while Audi could buy a current team.

🏇 The modern pentathlon will have a different look in 2024 after horse riding was replaced as one of the events. An obstacle event has been brought in because it’s cheaper, safer and removes the risk of animal cruelty.

🏉 Daisy Pearce will play on. The Demons legend was linked to a coaching role with the men's AFL club the Cats, but she says she's going around one more time with the Dees.

📲 We wanna hear from you!

The team here at Sport Today has loved putting together this newsletter for you, but we want to get bigger and better. To do that, we'd love to hear from you about what we're doing right, what we can improve and what else you'd like to see from us. You can help us out by filling out this quick survey and by doing so you could win a $200 Dan Murphy's gift card. Click here to fill out the survey and we'll announce the winner soon!

🙃 Left of field…

No cricketer ever wants to make a pair. Simply put, that’s when you get out for a duck (no runs) in both innings of a match. The great Adam Gilchrist did it against India in a Test match, but a guy with a similar name has taken it to new depths.

Golden points: Nathan Gilchrist has got a record no one wants.

• He plays for County side Kent, and he’s now been out for 6 ducks in a row in first-class cricket.

• He’s had 3 pairs in that stretch, including 3 golden ducks. It sounds flashy, but that’s not good. It means he got out first ball a lot.

• In his defence, Gilchrist is not a recognised batter.

What’s next: He now shares the record with 11 other players, but he can break - or avoid - the record when Kent plays Surrey next week.

📽 The highlight reel

There's a reason why they call Giannis Antetokounmpo the Greek Freak. He was huge for the Bucks in their NBA playoff win over Boston yesterday, with one play in particular leaving his teammates and everyone else stunned.

📸 Photo finish

There would've been some good stories told at the Tiger Jam event, which was all for a good cause. Here's Tiger Woods hanging out with NFL legend and keen golfer, Larry Fitzgerald.

🏃‍♀️ The finish line

🏆 Today's trivia answer

The Aussies won it in 2015. It's the only time they have won it.