THE LEDGER 14: A juiced-up pro wrestler and a shadow cast on the trans-Tasman sporting rivalry

Few times in trans-Tasman sporting history has the fate of two nations come down to a juice-up pro wrestler called Brock.

But that's where The Ledger finds itself this week, as the battle for sporting supremacy across the Ditch rumbles on.

There's a bit of action on the rugby and motorsport fronts too, but this week is mostly a tight tussle decided by some UFC doping controversy. Enjoy.

CRICKET

After the guns long being quiet on the cricket front, Australia and New Zealand's best are finally back in international action.

For the Kiwis, the Kane Williamson captaincy era is about to begin with a tour of Zimbabwe. It's a potentially tricky place to start for the 'Nossy' reign, though he's definitely got the cattle for a clean sweep through all forms the two teams play in. The first test starts on July 28.

As for Australia, the Baggy Greens are currently in Sri Lanka. Their tour has already kicked off, with a three-day friendly against a Lankan XI in Colombo. Veteran spinner Steve O'Keefe, once considered the heir apparent to the Warney legacy, started on the first day, taking 5 for 43. Their first test starts next week, too.

While we're glad both teams are back, we gotta notch this up as a draw.

WINNER: Draw

FOOTBALL

With the Euros and Copa America over, this is dead air time for football.

If you like stupid transfer rumours and meaningless friendlies, you'll find enough to keep you going. That won't be enough for the rest of us, though.

WINNER: Draw

RUGBY UNION

The Super Rugby regular season is over. Australian rugby fans can breathe a long sigh of relief; this year has been torturous to watch.

By virtue of a poorly-conceived playoff conference system, the Brumbies – the only Aussie team in the post-season - will get a home quarter-final against the Highlanders, despite finishing nine points behind them on the table. Silly.

That's semantics, though. There's a Kiwi team in each of the quarters, and a New Zealand side will likely win the lot. Easy choice for first category winner this week.

WINNER: New Zealand

Highlights of Crusaders and Hurricanes Super Rugby game in Christchurch

RUGBY LEAGUE

While rugby league on both sides of an Origin clash is usually a wash, the Warriors and Sea Eagles provided a tight, entertaining tussle in the pouring rain in Perth over the weekend.

Tied 18-18 at the end of regular time, their NRL match went into extras. Sea Eagles half Daly Cherry-Evans was the difference, kicking a droppie to ensure a golden point victory for the Silverfish.

Tough break for the Warriors, but that's life.

WINNER: AUSTRALIA

Extra-time highlights of the Sea Eagles vs Warriors NRL match

NETBALL

The conference finalists are known in the ANZ Championship. Queensland will play New South Wales in the Australian conference final, while the Southern Steel will take on Waikato-Bay of Plenty in the Kiwi one.

Another convulated trans-Tasman playoff system will see the loser of both conferences play the winner of the corresponding final. It's confusing, but at least it means two Australia teams will likely be in the final.

Anything else would be wildly unrepresentative of the comp. That's not enough to get Australia the spoils here yet, unfortunately.

WINNER: Australia

MOTORSPORT

The season-long trans-Tasman tussle in the Indycars is going down to the wire, and it's the Aussie that's got his nose in front at the moment.

Will Power won the Honda Indy in Toronto over the weekend, with Kiwi defending champ Scott Dixon back in eighth. Dixon will be kicking himself too, after securing pole and leading for 56 laps.

With half a dozen Indaycar races left, Power is second on the overall table while Dixon lies in fourth.

Notch another up for the Ockers.

WINNER: Australia

Highlights of Will Power's Indycar victory in Toronto

BASKETBALL

Just like football, there's little really happening in the basketball world right now. Things will heat up in Rio, but, for now, download some NBA podcasts and listen to them if you wanna stay enthused about the potential of an open court.

WINNER: Draw

OLYMPIC SPORTS: ATHLETICS

When it comes to Olympic history, no other event gets Kiwi engines running like the men's 1500m running race.

The legacy is incredible, with Olympic golds to Jack Lovelock (1936), Peter Snell (1964) and John Walker (1976). Nick Willis scored silver in Beijing, in 2008, too.

This year, three Kiwis will be in the event, with Julian Matthews and Hamish Carson joining Willis at the Rio Olympics. That's the first time ever New Zealand has had three runners in the event.

Historic stuff in an event laden with legacy. Good luck, boys.

WINNER: New Zealand

WILDCARD SPORT: MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

UFC cult hero Mark Hunt had been banging the drum for weeks heading into his heavyweight showdown with Brock Lesnar at UFC200. He's a doper, Hunt reckoned.

Hunt got his ass kicked in Vegas, but he proved to be right about Lesnar being on the juice. The ex-pro wrestler was notified of an anti-doping policy violation over the weekend.

Lesnar got a UFC record $2.5 million pursue for his win against Hunt. Let's hope the Super Samoan gets his mitts on some of that cash. Only fair.

WINNER: New Zealand

OVERALL

NEW ZEALAND 5 AUSTRALIA 4

The tide is turning on The Ledger, with New Zealand notching up yet another victory. It came down to Brock Lesnar's doping to do it, but the Kiwis certainly won't care.

Running total: Australia 9. New Zealand 5.

BONUS: CLASSIC MOMENT IN AUSSIE-NZ RIVALRY

Australia vs New Zealand, Olympic men's hockey final, Montreal, 1976

Most Kiwis might remember the Montreal Olympics best for John Walker's incredible gold medal winning 1500m race, but in terms of the on-going trans-Tasman sporting blood feud, it was the hockey that mattered most.

New Zealand trumped their rivals from across the Ditch 1-0 in the Olympic men's hockey final, with the only goal coming from Tony Ineson.