The Breakdown | A November to remember: let’s celebrate the good in international rugby

We turn the dial towards whimsy and revisit some of the moments that made the autumn internationals irresistibleSouth Africa and Ireland played out a slugfest for the ages and the discourse has been dominated by yellow cards and flying shoulders to the head. England held off a spirited Argentina to claim their 11th consecutive Test win and it seems all anyone can talk about is some alleged after-the-whistle shoving. Wales and New Zealand traded 11 tries in a ding-dong encounter and yet the narrative is weighed down by caveats concerning fading empires.What, exactly, is the point of Test rugby? Beyond winning World Cups and regional crowns, does this chaotic sport hold any value? A bit of spice elevates almost every dish, sure, but it has felt as if this autumn’s brilliant rugby fare has been smothered in a sauce with a needlessly high Scoville count.So, for all the romantics, for anyone inclined to see their incomplete pint of Guinness as half full, for those who believe that elite rugby has never been more entertaining or more competitive or more interesting, let’s turn the dial towards whimsy and revisit some of the moments that made this autumn irresistible

The NBA’s dress code was seen as policing Black culture. Instead it inspired a fashion revolution

Twenty years after the league introduced its controversial policy, many players see it as helping them develop self-expressionLonzo Ball froze in confusion. The question – “What do you think about the NBA dress code?” – hung in the air for a second before he cracked a sheepish grin.“There’s a dress code?” he said, smiling.Twenty years after the introduction of a rule that once roiled the league and ignited a culture war over image and identity, one of the NBA’s current players didn’t even know it existed.“Now do-rags are flying, along with jerseys and baggy stuff,” said Ball, a point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers

Tennis burnout on the rise as grind of long season brings stars to their knees

Elina Svitolina simply could not go on. Her hopeful start to the 2025 season had given way to despair as the mental and emotional strain of constant competition, travelling and stress left its mark. The 31-year-old understood that competing would only make things worse and, in September, Svitolina decided to prematurely end her season, citing burnout.The world No 14 is not alone in feeling suffocated by her sport. This has been another year filled with incredible performances and gripping matches, but the past 11 months have also been defined by the physical and mental ailments endured by many of the sport’s stars

Australia rolls out red carpet to England fans with newfound time on their hands

Regional centres are rolling out the red carpet to travelling England cricket supporters with newfound time on their hands, and last-minute side trips are becoming the norm for the Barmy Army as Bazball changes what it means to tour Australia.The two-day Perth Test was unusually brief, leaving Cricket Australia with a $4m shortfall and broadcasters bereft of live content to fill their schedules.England’s commitment to attacking cricket – the side has drawn just twice in three years under head coach Brendon McCullum and never outside of Manchester – also has wider consequences.English fans in Perth may have suffered through the defeat in the stands, but the result opened up their diaries for non-cricketing activities. Some visited Rottnest Island to see the quokkas, others went to wineries in Margaret River, while dozens gathered in Fremantle on Monday to enjoy a warm if typically windy spring afternoon in Perth

Travis Head’s devastating knock gives Australia’s selectors a dilemma

Accidents do not come much happier. Usman Khawaja’s mid-game back problem was annoying for the player and potentially damaging for his team, until it wasn’t. Clearing out the regular dry-powder opener created space in the final stanza of the Perth Test, allowing Travis Head to finish off England with the gory certainty and splatter count of a Mortal Kombat fatality move. Sometimes you mash the buttons and it all just works.Consider an Ashes innings of 123 from 83 balls, on a bouncy pitch where two other players nudged 50, in an effort that did not just win the match, but has sent the opposition into a demoralising tailspin

England asked for CCTV footage of Tom Curry’s alleged tunnel scuffle

England have been told to provide CCTV footage of the alleged tunnel bust-up between Tom Curry and Felipe Contepomi after Argentina lodged a formal complaint and demanded an investigation into the incident.It is understood that Six Nations Rugby – which organises the autumn Tests – has asked for England to provide footage as well as a formal statement before deciding whether to begin disciplinary proceedings. The Rugby Football Union is also expected to provide any other relevant video captured of the incident.In an extraordinary press conference after England’s 27-23 victory on Sunday, Contepomi described Curry as a “bully” and accused the flanker of shoving him in the tunnel and telling him to “fuck off”. Contepomi also claimed Curry had “broken” the knee of Juan Cruz Mallía with a “reckless” tackle in the 75th minute – the incident that sparked the post-match bad blood