Live Sport on TV this weekend – September 23rd & 24th
Saturday
Rugby Union
World Cup – Pool Matches – South Africa v Ireland – ITV1 – 20.00
This is the crunch game in Pool B between the two top ranked countries in the world with Ireland number one and South Africa number two. This game shows how ridiculous it was to have the draw three years in advance. It is quite possible that these two sides might yet contest the final, but they shouldn’t be squaring off this early. Both teams have looked impressive so far, but Ireland have had the easier matches. Ireland did beat the Springboks 19-16 in Dublin last November so know they can do it. However the Boks are going for a 7-1 split on the bench with nearly a complete new scrum available. That scrum power for 80 minutes will help South Africa subdue Ireland and give them another win as they seek to retain the World Cup.
Football
Premier League
Burnley v Man Utd – TNT Sports 1 – 20.00
Burnley can consider themselves unlucky not to get their first win of the season against Nottingham Forest on Monday night. However that should give them the confidence to get that first win against an out-of-sorts Man Utd. Although they only lost to the odd goal in seven against Bayern Munich in the Champions League mid-week, Man Utd always a good second best for much of the match and the score flattered them. It is unfortunate that they have so many players unavailable, but even with all the talent still available they are not playing as a team. Can see Man Utd’s miserable start continuing at Turf Moor.
Horse Racing
Ayr – Ayr Gold Cup – ITV4 – 15.35
The Ayr Gold Cup, Scotland’s biggest flat race of the year, is a six furlong handicap sprint. Oddly enough there is only one runner in the 25 horse field that won their last race and that is Ramazan, trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by Oisin Orr. So he’s the one for me as that win was on soft ground with a saver on sprint specialist Julie Camacho’s Significantly.
Cricket
International ODI – England v Ireland – Sky Sports Cricket – 11.00
The second match in this rather pointless three games series between England and Ireland is at Trent Bridge (the first at Headingley was rained off) with England’s second string ODI players led by Zak Crawley. England’s first team is preparing to fly to India for the ODI World Cup and Ireland has not qualified. After an Ashes series this summer this seems rather a poor way to bring down the curtain on the English season. England to win easily.
Sunday
Football
Premier League
Arsenal v Tottenham – Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event – 14.00
Tottenham, under new manager Ange Postecoglou, have had a great start to the season as have Arsenal. Both have 13 points with Spurs having a slightly better goal difference. It’s not often that the North London derby has both teams level and this makes for an intriguing match. Arsenal had an impressive warm-up win against PSV in the midweek Champions League match and Mikel Arteta could even take off players ahead of Sunday’s game. Tottenham’s progress to come to a shuddering halt with home side Arsenal winning the first NLD of the season.
Rugby Union
World Cup – Pool Matches
Wales v Australia – ITV1 – 20.00
The second big crunch game of the weekend, but this is more crucial than Saturday’s South Africa/Ireland game as the loser here is extremely unlikely to make it through to the quarter-finals. After their loss to Fiji last weekend, Australia have to win. Since Eddie Jones took over Australia’s coach, they have only won one game in six and that was against Georgia. Wales aren’t in great shape either, but should have enough to prevent Australia making to the World Cup quarter-finals for
FI – Japanese GP – Sky Sports F1 – 03.30
I was wrong about last week’s Singapore GP. Max Verstappen had a bad weekend and we got a very exciting race. Expect normal service to be resumed in Susuka.
