The Hundred is introducing a new prize this weekend, the Helix trophy, which goes to the team with the most points across both the men’s and women’s competitions. Those tournaments have run in tandem since 2021. Trent Rockets have already guaranteed the trophy, but the idea raises an interesting question: which teams would triumph if other sports combined their men’s and women’s events?
Trent Rockets are on 60 points, 16 clear of Sunrisers Leeds in second, and with automatic qualification for both finals they cannot be caught.
That concept prompted us to look at how a similar award might play out elsewhere.
In football, Manchester City took the Women’s Super League title, yet Arsenal would be the combined champions of a merged Premier League and WSL table for 2025-26. The Gunners finish three points ahead, thanks to a margin of seven points over City at the end of the Premier League season. Erling Haaland and Khadija Shaw netted a combined 48 league goals last season, a frightening attacking combination. Chelsea, 10th in the Premier League, sit fourth in the combined standings because they finished third in the WSL. West Ham are bottom among the clubs that competed in both competitions, with 58 points.
In the Six Nations, France top a combined men’s and women’s table for 2026. Les Bleus lost only two matches across the two tournaments, winning eight and collecting 21 points in each. England’s unbeaten record in the women’s tournament is only enough for second overall, since they won a single game in the men’s competition. Wales are last with 11 points, having finished bottom in both.
For golf, a combined Europe versus United States contest would require merging points from two separate events in different years. Europe won the 2025 Ryder Cup by two points, but the United States edge it after taking the 2024 Solheim Cup by three points.
Both finals are live on BBC Two and iPlayer, with ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. Live text and video highlights are available on the BBC Sport website and app.
Would a combined format work in other sports as a fun aside? Let us know in the comments.
