‘It doesn’t really hit your socials’: is this Australia’s best kept sporting secret? | Sarah Guiney

If there is one thing Australians pride themselves on, it’s playing sport in the elements. From long days of cricket at the height of summer, the sun beating down harsh and unforgiving, to mud-soaked footy in the dead of winter. It’s a test of character, and Australians wear it like a badge of honour.So perhaps it is a surprise that Australia has yet to embrace ice hockey; tucked away in rinks so cold you need a puffer jacket just to sit and watch, even during summer. Combine that with its speed and brutal physicality, and it seems to tick every box

Coco Gauff beats Iga Swiatek but Poland best US to reach United Cup final

A statement victory for Coco Gauff over her great rival Iga Świątek proved to be insufficient to the American’s hopes of leading her team into the final of the United Cup. Poland showed their depth in an excellent team performance to close out a 2-1 win over the United States at the Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.Poland, who finished runners-up to the US last year, exacted their revenge courtesy of the doubles specialists Jan Zielinski and Katarzyna Kawa, who maintained their unbeaten run in the competition by defeating Christian Harrison and Gauff 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) in the decisive third rubber. Poland face Switzerland in the final on Sunday after the Swiss defeated Belgium 2-1.The tie opened with another victory for Hubert Hurkacz, who continued his impressive comeback from injury by defeating the world No 9, Taylor Fritz, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (2)

Kempton Park’s Lanzarote Hurdle card will go ahead but Warwick frozen off

Kempton Park’s Lanzarote Hurdle card will go ahead as planned on Saturday afternoon, but Warwick’s Classic Chase meeting has failed to beat the weather.Despite being passed fit for racing on Friday after managing to navigate a freezing week, the threat of sub-zero temperatures overnight had led to precautionary 8.00am raceday checks being called at both tracks.Warwick said on X: “Whilst the majority of the track is raceable, the back straight remains frozen in areas. The contingency plan we put in place yesterday, using the outer hurdle line, has frozen under the sheets and is unraceable

NFL wildcard weekend predictions: Allen can carry Bills – if he can handle the pressure

The NFL playoffs kick off with ground-game battles, QB duels and a high-stakes edition of the Packers v Bears rivalryWhat the Rams need to do to win Hold on to the ball. Across five regular-season defeats, Matthew Stafford gave the ball away seven times with six interceptions and a fumble. In the Rams’ worst loss of the season, to the Panthers in November, Stafford held his team back from taking a commanding lead with two picks in the first quarter. Keep it tight.What the Panthers need to do to win The Panthers are massive underdogs but hold an advantage in the vital experience of having already upset the Rams

Ashes 2025-26: our writers’ end-of-series England v Australia awards

Brainless moments, moral victories and tough lessons were abundant during a series that still provided plenty of dramaPlayer of the series Travis Head was the boxing kangaroo at the top of the Australia order. But this one goes to the other animal on the baggy green crest, Mitchell Starc bounding in like an emu, slicing through England during the live bit, and playing all five to finish with 31 wickets at 19 apiece. Elite.Best moment The old guard on both sides have done their thing plenty of times before, so this one goes to Jacob Bethell’s maiden Test century at the SCG. The style, the poise and the family looking on in bits made it poetry and cinema in one

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler hit with 80-game ban for positive drug test

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, Major League Baseball announced on Friday, a ruling that sidelines the veteran as he looks for his next club.The suspension stems from a positive test for epitrenbolone, a metabolite of the prohibited steroid trenbolone prohibited under MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The ban takes effect immediately and would apply if Kepler signs with a team during the 2026 season.Kepler, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-year major league veteran who spent the first decade of his career with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Philadelphia Phillies last season. As a free agent, he was not under contract at the time of the announcement but remains subject to the league’s drug program