Game theory
The politics, economics, science and statistical analysis of the games we play and watch
Bury, six feet under
Football marks the boundary between England’s winners and losers
As cities enjoy the Premier League’s riches, smaller clubs in Brexit-supporting towns are struggling
The not-so-special one
Data suggest José Mourinho is as likely to flop at Spurs as to succeed
Football managers make less difference than many people think
Blossoming talent
Japan’s Rugby World Cup success was improbable. Can it keep it up?
Impressive upsets have happened before. Building on these victories will be trickier
Climate change stops play
Typhoon Hagibis offers a glimpse of sport’s stormy future
Some extreme weather events are becoming more severe. Organisers need to adapt
A leg up
Eliud Kipchoge’s historic sub-two-hour marathon will carry an asterisk
Artificial running conditions and special shoes helped him breach athletics’ last great barrier
A long draw
Against expectations, this year’s Ashes were a slow-burning classic
Two similarly weak sides produced several low-scoring but tense matches
Boks clever
Chester Williams stood against South African rugby’s racism
The World Cup winner helped to tackle prejudice in the sport, but inequality persists
Net exporters
South American football clubs are missing out on European riches
The continent is receiving fewer eye-catching transfer fees, despite producing as many stars as ever
The new Bradman
Steve Smith’s batting shows that sporting genius can be learned
Nature makes gifted athletes, but nurture turns them into all-time greats
Toppling the top two
Man City’s and Liverpool’s rivals have copied their transfer strategy
The Premier League’s big clubs are increasingly buying young players from smaller teams
Not up to the Test
The Ashes will feature the weakest pair of cricket teams in decades
England and Australia are well-matched, but rely on several mediocre players
More than just a game
Why New Zealand’s other All Blacks matter
The Maori All Blacks are a source of rugby-playing pride in a community that has struggled economically