The Wrap - Back in Your Boks

1. Wallabies. A rare headline in The Wrap, but what a brilliant win. Joe Schmidt has had a top month in the latter phases of his tenure it must be said after much disappointment. Unlucky not to beat the Lions in the series and then to win at Ellis Park in the dungeon of South Africa is exceptional. The first win since before we were all born! Pretty significant.

Joseph Sua'ali'i has added a lot, but so has the recent announcement that the Giteau rule is no longer. (Ron will be pleased). Skelton is immense and the skipper Wilson scoring two runaway tries was incredible. He almost ran over the deadball line and did a hammy to boot. Gold. The pace and toughness of Jorgensen will keep NRL recruiters interested.

2. Glenn Maxwell. He's bounced back since some of the worst idiocy in recent years in world cricket...the mysterious tennis court rumble injury and the falling off the golf cart. He is a supreme talent. Often wasted and frustrating, but still could be one of the best fieldsmen we have ever seen (with Viv, Jonty Rhodes, Mark Waugh, Ponting, Symonds, Smith...). His last gasp effort to get Australia over the line in the Darwin T20 series was incredible. Great to see him stand up and get the adulation that he deserves.

3. NRL. The NRL seems to be able to find an on field controversy these days. It used to be a lot of off field ones, now if it is not a trainer, a sin binning, a bunker rule interpretation or an Ashley Klein special call, the game is constantly in the spotlight.

The Broncos, for all their class, have struggled at key times, but Maguire is making a big difference. They are semi final bound. Reece Walsh is an incredible talent.

The spoon contest is down to the Eels, the Knights and the Titans. The Rabbits and Cowboys have a bye each and are winners this weekend. The Eels are warming up for a world record.

• Scott Drinkwater is a super talented player. From the Central Coast and killing them. A broken play master who would be dangerous in Origin. Nil mistake player.
• Kodi Nikorima is one of the best number sixes in the comp. He has speed, takes on the line and a strong running game which keeps the defence guessing.
• The small double pump feigned pass running fast to the line by Isaiya Katoa or Nathan Cleary is now creating massive issues for opposing defences. A small, but newer offensive tactic.
• Hearing Nathan Cleary talk about rugby league is a whole new language. No wonder the Panthers are a premiership threat every year...even when they were in last place!
• Michael Ennis. Is he the best non-coach in the game? So insightful. He could coach Origin on his ear.
• The Roosters were really dominant and the Bulldogs are crumbling fast. Attitude.
• Trai Fuller would be a handy dummy half off the bench at another club. Great pace!
• Jye Gray. Two try scoring tackles and wins the game for the Bunnies. Then the greatest hog in the NRL, Tallis Duncan, wins the Eric Simms Medal for MOTM. Get on Tallis for an any time try scorer because he never disappoints. Alex Johnston could not touch it! The 212 record is safe with Tallis in the centres. 
• Daniel Topou is fast approaching too. He now has 182 tries in fourth place ever. (Slater has 190 in third place). We could well have two players beat the Ken Irvine record!
• Haas now playing for Samoa ... how can these flexi rules apply to Origin for some and not others. 

4. AFL 2025. The massive divide in the 2025 competition has taken a lot of energy out of the game this season. The top eight or nine are so far ahead, the bottom half of the comp has become very boring. It is costing the game revenue...TV ratings are sliding too. Most unfortunate. Having Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle and in the top eight must be troubling Melburnians too.

• The Connor Rozee rumours at Port Adelaide are a great example of the absolute sewer of social media. Having to publicly appear to dispel them calls for stronger police action against the perpetrators. What have we unleashed as a society?
• GWS beating Gold Coast at home is a horrific result for the Gold Coast. They are so inconsistent and need to address this to make an impression in the semi finals. 
• The Collingwood-Adelaide game in front of the biggest ever crowd was awesome! Tight and tough with high pressure. 56=53. They may both be in the GF.
• The Swans... plucked and roasted by a superior Geelong team. Their defensive line is elite. Tall, strong and plentiful.

5. EPL Underway. The shortest off season in world sport. Liverpool continue to do the business despite the tragic loss of a key player in the off season, Diogo Jota. Tottenham will be an interesting study to see if they fall in a heap or build on the successes of last season. A bright start against promoted Burnley. Sunderland ('Till I Die...) are back too, but where is Netflix? They had a tremendous opening win 3-0 v West Ham. Haaland is back scoring two goals already for Man City!

6. Austrian GP. Piastri and Norris look to have the measure of all others, but Verstappen always surprises. The summer break in the season is ridiculous. All momentum around the sport is lost. 

7. USPGA. Fresh from Justin Rose's win ($3.6M) v Scheffler and Fleetwood last week in the St Jude, Scottie Scheffler ($1.6M) is running second in the BMW Championship. MacIntyre is going to be hard to run down in Maryland. 

Scheffler's consistency is amazing. He didn't quite do the job last week. This week may well be different. He could be the most liked world number one golfer since the great Jack!

8. Bob Simpson. RIP. A legend of Australian cricket who transformed of all things, fielding. A terrific slip fielder himself. A brutal task master. In Test cricket, 62 tests (110 catches!) and 4869 runs at 46.81 with ten tons. He famously came back in WSC to lead the inexperienced (and very poor) Australian team at the time... Hibbert, Weiner, Whatmore, Moss, Toohey, Laughlin, Maclean, Gannon, Sleep, Clark, Dymock... et al.

9. US Open Tennis. The Cincinatti Open lead up event in Tennessee sees Alcarez v Sinner in the final tomorrow. Alcarez will be tough to toss at Flushing Meadows starting on 24 August. He and Sinner are a cut above. A toss of the coin.