THE LEDGER: A Body Washes Up on a Rio Beach. How Will it Affect Trans-Tasman Sporting Hate?

Over the last 10 weeks, if you look at population ratios, victories to Australia (23.1 million) and New Zealand (4.5 million) is around about right.

Australia has come away with seven overall victories, while their trans-Tasman neighbours have notched up three. The fact that they are competing on a population ratio basis won't be enough for the Kiwis though.

The blood feud is back on this week, and with a big series win by the All Blacks against Wales, New Zealand certainly have their tails up.

CRICKET

It was a bit of a surprise to see West Indies in the final of the Tri-Nations Series this week, beating out South Africa to gain a spot in the final.

It was well deserved however, and the hosts looked like they were in with a shout after the Aussies batted first in Barbados. Australia scored 270 for 9, with no of their batsmen really getting underway.

The Windies scuffed in their chase, scuttled for 212 with Aussie seamer Josh Hazlewood snaring a five-for.

With the Black Caps out of action at the moment, Australia is off the mark early.

WINNER: Australia

Highlights from the Tri-Nations Final between West Indies and Australia

FOOTBALL

Brexit got everyone talking last week. For good reason, it's probably the dumbest political decision a democratic nation has made since World War II.

What made everyone feel slightly better was England getting dumped out of Euro 2016 by tiny Iceland. Iceland, who won 2-1 in France to get through to the quarter-finals, has a population around about the size of Croyden.

You bloody beaut. Pretty sure England's loss is always gonna be a double-win to both Australia and New Zealand.

WINNER: Draw

RUGBY UNION

While the All Blacks three-nil series defeat of Wales were finished off with a crushing 46-6 win in Dunedin, all the talk in the rugby world was around the Australia vs England series.

It was ugly for the Wallabies. With their 23-7 victory in Melbourne, England sealed their first ever series win in Australia and notched up their third consecutive victory against the Aussies for the first time ever.

That's gotta hurt.

WINNER: New Zealand

RUGBY LEAGUE

After three straight wins that have turned their stuttering season around, the Warriors dropped points in Cronulla last Saturday when the Sharks beat them 19-18.

On the surface, you have to call that a loss for Kiwi league too – but at least things are tracking in the right direction for the boys from Mt Smart Stadium.

WINNER: Australia

Sharks vs Warriors highlights

NETBALL

The ANZ Championship has only got one week to go before the playoffs kick off for the very last time. The Australian teams are well positioned to win it all, and the last round proved why.

Queensland and New South Wales are easily playing the best netball, with the Swifts beating the Canterbury Tactix in the only trans-Tasman clash of the round.

Easy money, Aussie.

WINNER: Australia

MOTORSPORT

For the majority of the last decade, New Zealand has had the nod in trans-Tasman Indycar superiority due the excellence of Manurewa's own Scott Dixon.

This week, the crown has been nicked by Aussie Will Power, who finished third to Dixon's fourth at the Kohler Grand Prix at Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin.

Who cares about F1 and V8s this week when Will Power triumphs.

WINNER: Australia

Highlights of the 2016 Kohler Grand Prix finish

BASKETBALL

The NBA season is over, so who cares right? Well, sorta.

The only real news this week is the naming of the United States team for the Rio Olympics. Featuring Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, they should be the Great Entertainers at the Games.

Again, everyone wins here.

WINNER: Draw

OLYMPIC SPORTS: BEACH VOLLEYBALL

There was more bad Olympic news out of Rio this morning. Pretty much the worst kind, actually.

Mutilated body parts were found on the beach beside the beach volleyball stadium on Copacabana Beach. If you add in the dramas around the lack of security, Zika, the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and protests by underpaid labourers, well, let's just say things aren't looking flash for August.

WINNER: No one.

WILDCARD SPORT: OLYMPIC SEVENS RUGBY

This is a little bit of a cheat because we've already had an Olympic sport, but the releasing of the draws for the rugby sevens in Rio merits interest.

In the men's competition, New Zealand has drawn Great Britain, Kenya and Japan, while Australia will do battle with South Africa, France and Spain.

In the women's, the Kiwis will play France, Spain and Kenya, while the Aussies have United States, Fiji and Colombia.

The Kiwis have the tougher draw in the men's, but the easier road to the playoffs in the women's. Money's even, here.

WINNER: Draw

OVERALL

AUSTRALIA 5.5 NEW ZEALAND 2.5

The Aussies are back, and how. Turns out a series defeat to England in rugby doesn't matter much at all.

BONUS: CLASSIC MOMENT IN AUSSIE-NZ RIVALRY

Australia vs New Zealand, Rugby World Cup semi-final in Sydney, 2003

Before the levee broke open at Eden Park in 2011, the All Blacks inability to win their second World Cup, after the first edition in 1987, was well-chronicled and lampooned.

Part of that rich history of choking was the 2003 World Cup semi against the Wallabies when a Stirling Mortlock intercept set the tone for massive upset victory by the hosts.

If you're a Kiwi, this still hurts to watch.