THE LEDGER: Kiwis profit from Australian rugby shame

It's been called Australian rugby's "week from hell". Really, there's really no other way to frame it.

For the first time since 2005, none of Australia's five Super Rugby team's were able to win a game. To make things even more painful, four of the five losses came against New Zealand opposition.

The four Kiwi teams were able to run up 30 tries against the hapless Ockers over the weekend, who turned in some truly pitiful displays of rugby ability.

How does this affect The Ledger? Time will tell, but it can't be good.

CRICKET

The Aussies and Kiwi international teams are yet to start their next big tours, but players from both sides have been starring the Caribbean Premier League; the latest Twenty20 free-for-all, in the Windies. Only one player has been rising above the pack, though.

Kiwi Martin Guptill notched up 50 for the Guyana Amazon Warriors seven-run loss to the Trinbago Knight Riders. The Aucklander scored 43 the day before in their victory over the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

With the Australia big guns relatively silent this week, New Zealand gets on the board early.

WINNER: New Zealand

Highlights of Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders

FOOTBALL

The sit-back-and-enjoy days continued for Australian and New Zealand football fans this weekend, with the final of the Euros playing out in Paris.

It wasn't the greatest match of all-time, but Portugal's 1-0 extra time victory has cemented them as the best team in Europe. There are no immediate ramifications for Australasian sports fans, other than returning to work with no more footy to talk about.

Consequences could lie ahead for both the Soccerroos and All Whites, though. With both qualified for the Confederations Cup in Russia next year, there's the likelihood that one of the two countries will be playing Ronaldo's mob. Bring it on.

WINNER: Draw

RUGBY UNION

See above. An utterly humiliating weekend of rugby for Australia. The Chiefs smashed Queensland 50-5 in Brisbane, the 'Saders piled on the points in a 85-26 flogging of the Rebels, the Blues crushed the Brumbies 40-15 and the Canes dished out a 28-17 thumping over the Waratahs in Sydney.

Ouch.

WINNER: New Zealand

Highlights of the Crusaders and Rebels Super Rugby game in Christchurch.

RUGBY LEAGUE

A bye for the Warriors in the NRL this weekend meant the Kiwi league lads got a rest this weekend, but still scored a bump up on the ladder as the Eels salary cap storm continues to bubble away.

The Eels have been docked 12 competition points and fined A$1 million for cap breaches, meaning the Warriors now sit seventh on the table and only four points out of fourth.

An impressive turn-around for the Kiwi club after the woes of two months ago, as they profit from issues over the Ditch.

WINNER: New Zealand

NETBALL

The conference finalists in the ANZ Championship have been found with New South Wales beating Melbourne, and Waikato-Bay of Plenty trumping Northern in the elimination finals.

That sets up a Kiwi conference showdown between the Southern Steel and Waikato-BOP, while the top Aussie teams, NSW and Queensland, will do battle.

Everyone knows an Aussie team is going to win this, but spoils have to be shared this week.

WINNER: Draw

MOTORSPORT

Daniel Ricciardo's F1 season keeps ticking over nicely, with a fourth-placing in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone over the weekend.

The Aussie is yet to take out an event title yet, but is there or thereabouts to do it soon.

In the exquistly-named Iowa Corn 300, Australian driver Will Power kept up his Indycar dominance over Kiwi Scott Dixon. Power finished third in Newton, Iowa, head of Dixon's fourth.

Aussie engines running hot.

WINNER: Australia

BASKETBALL

While the dramas of NBA free agency continue on (Dwayne Wade to the Bulls? Crazy), there's been more at stake, in terms of Olympic basketball, for those in our part of the world of late.

In a must-win Olympic-qualifying tournament semi-final against Canada, New Zealand scuffed, in a 78-72 defeat.

While it was always going to be an up-hill battle for a side shorn of their top level talent (such as Thunder moustache man Steven Adams), that means the Tall Blacks won't be joining the Boomers in Rio.

Bummer.

WINNER: Australia

OLYMPIC SPORTS: GOLF

Over the recent weeks, male golfers have been bailing out of the Rio Olympics in droves with Aussie world no 1 Jason Day the latest to decide not to go to Brazil. Concerns about Zika was his motivation for not going, he said.

Strangely enough, the female golfers have been 'all in' for Rio. This week, New Zealand will announce its golf team for the Games - which will be headlined by female world no 1 Lydia Ko.

If the Kiwis claim a golfing medal and the Aussies don't, don't come crying.

WINNER: New Zealand

WILDCARD SPORT: TENNIS

Regardless of who you were, everyone lost watching an incredibly boring Wimbledon men's final between Andy Murray and Milos Raonic. The Scot won in three sets, but most of us were reaching for the remote before then. Thank God for Serena.

WINNER: Draw

OVERALL

NEW ZEALAND 5.5 AUSTRALIA 3.5

The tables have been turning of late at The Ledger, with New Zealand stringing together consecutive victories for the first time ever. Watch you back, Australia. The running total is now Australia 9 - and New Zealand 4.

BONUS: CLASSIC MOMENT IN AUSSIE-NZ RIVALRY

New Zealand vs Australia, men's basketball, 2011

The divide in basketball ability between Australia and New Zealand has usually be pretty chasmic. The Tall Blacks inability to qualify for the Rio Olympics this week has shown it is still there, too.

That doesn't mean Kiwi ballers call any less though, as shown by this Boomers vs Tall Blacks tussle from 2011.

A 'basket-brawl' circa 2011.