Live Sport on TV this weekend – October 14th & 15th
Saturday
Cricket
World Cup
India v Pakistan – Ahmedabad – Sky Sports Cricket – 09.30
It is one of the biggest rivalries in world cricket when India takes on Pakistan. India have beaten Pakistan in the last three ODI World Cups and beat them last month in the Asia Cup. With home advantage and their batsmen Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma all in a rich vein of form, India should win. Although Pakistan have great batsmen themselves with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, bowling is their main weakness compared to India – India to remain unbeaten
Rugby Union
World Cup – Quarter-finals – Marseille – Wales v Argentina – ITV1 – 16.00
Wales welcome back Dan Biggar and Liam Williams, but losing Taulupe Faletau with a broken arm is a major blow as Wales attempt to take on the mammoth Argentinian scrum. Argentina have been poor so far after a good Rugby Championship and Wales good after poor warm-up games. Wales to win a close game.
World Cup – Quarter-finals – Paris – Ireland v New Zealand – ITV1 – 20.00
Can Ireland finally make it through to a World Cup semi-final where their likely opponents will be Wales? This is the last time that this great side led by Johnny Sexton and Peter O’Mahony have a chance to win. They beat another of the big beasts in South Africa earlier in the tournament, but were lucky that day that their opponents didn’t have a decent kicker. That won’t be the case today when the All Blacks have Richie Mo’unga and Jordi Barrett. The All Blacks are not up with the great sides of the past, but are never to be underestimated. It should be a tremendous game with one score separating the sides – go for the underdogs New Zealand (not often you can say that about the All Blacks!).
Horse Racing
Dewhurst Stakes – Newmarket – ITV1 – 14.00
Hard to see beyond Aidan O’Brien’s odds-on favourite City of Troy – could try Array trained by Andrew Balding who won this race last year with Chaldean, also for Juddmonte.
The Cesarewitch – Newmarket – ITV 1 – 14.40
The normal very open cavalry charge with Ireland being represented by horses trained by Willie Mullins and Gordon Eliott rather than Aidan O’Brien – try Hughie Morrison’s Not So Sleepy each way who won last time out at Newbury.
Sunday
Cricket
World Cup
England v Afghanistan – Delhi – Sky Sports Cricket – 09.30
England refound some form against Bangladesh as they should and now face another lower ranked side in Afghanistan. With Dawid Malan now showing some form and with Johnny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Joe Root and Harry Brook to follow, England should rack up a big total if they bat first or chase down easily if they bat second. Afghanistan have the great leg-spinner Rashid Khan, but not much else. England have some much sterner tests ahead with South Africa next weekend, but this should help them build their confidence and form.
Rugby Union
World Cup – Quarter-finals – Marseille – England v Fiji – ITV1 – 16.00
So Steve Borthwick has selected Marcus Smith as full-back against Fiji with Freddie Steward not even on the bench, It’s unfortunate for Steward who has perhaps had one bad game and would have been seen as a nailed on selection at the start of the tournament. What Borthwick can’t bring himself to do is to drop Owen Farrell who is the real problem and let Smith run the game from fly-half. Other poor selections are Johnny May instead of Henry Arundell and Manu Tuilagi instead of Ollie Lawrence (who is on the bench). After Fiji’s surprise win over England at Twickenham in August, England have a point to prove, which they should do. Fiji are always entertaining to watch and it would be fantastic to see them reach the semi-final, but their form since the England win has been patchy, a great win over Australia followed by a loss to Portugal. So England to grind out an unattractive win and be the worse ever semi-final side in the competition.
World Cup – Quarter-finals – Paris – France v South Africa – ITV1 – 20.00
Somehow this game feels that it should be the final rather than a quarter-final and if France can beat the Springboks after beating the All Blacks in the first game, then they really are on their way to being crowned World Champions. Strangely enough the French seem to be more worried about their pack as they have selected a 6-2 split of forwards vs backs for their subs. This is normally a South African tactic who even employed a 7-1 split earlier in the tournament, but now have the normal 5-3. Although South Africa are still without a first-class kicker, which cost them the match against Ireland, they do have Handre Pollard on the bench as well Faf De Klerk, a surprise omission from the starting line-up and Willie Le Roux, all potential match winners. France do welcome back their captain and talisman Antoine Dupont after his broken cheek. The question is how will that affect him and no doubt the South African forwards, particularly the back row Duane Vermeulen, Steph Du Toit and Siya Kolisi won’t be giving him an easy time. In Thomas Ramos France do have the most reliable goalkicker in the competition and in Damian Penaud the best winger. However South Africa won’t give up their crown without a fight and I expect them to spring a major surprise, beat France, make it to the final where they will play the All Blacks.
Football
European Championship Qualifying – Norway v Spain – Viaplay Xtra – 19.45
