Gary Lemke has a look ahead to the weekend's action as the Soweto derby will headline events, as the Six Nations gets underway with a blockbuster clash.
YOUNG SOUTH AFRICANS IN WORLD CUP FINAL
South Africa’s Under-19 cricketers continued their unbeaten march at the Women’s World Cup and a thoroughly convincing seven-wicket win over Australia on Friday puts them into Sunday’s final against either India or England.
The teenage South Africans topped a group which included England, New Zealand, USA, Ireland and Nigeria, who actually finished third. They then reduced Australia to 105 before reaching the winning target with five wickets and 11 balls to spare. The women aim to go where their male counterparts did in 2014 when an Aiden Markram-led team won the 50-over Under-19 World Cup.
SOWETO DERBY THE ONLY SHOW IN TOWN
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates meet for the 54th time in their League Soweto derby history, with the total so far, Chiefs 20 wins, Pirates 12 and 24 draws. It’s the first time the giants will meet this season, but on paper Pirates look to hold the edge, given they’re six points ahead of the Amakhosi on the table with three games in hand.
Tickets for the showdown at the FNB Stadium were sold out two weeks ago, showing why it deserves to be mentioned alongside the world’s great ball derbies. The official record attendance was in 2015 (94,807). Then, the score ended 1-1, with Pirates winning the Carling Black Label Cup penalty shootout. The last 10 League games between the two have produced a winner and in the last 11, the winning margin has been no more than one goal.
SIX NATIONS STARTS WITH HEADLINE ACT
You know that the International rugby season is kicking off when former England coach and 2003 World Cup winner Sir Clive Woodward starts grabbing the headlines in the Daily Mail who, admittedly, pay him for his views. This week, ahead of the Six Nations opener against Ireland, it was said, “These players are incredible on paper.
The key is selecting the right ones and coaching them properly.” That Six Nations opener in Dublin on Saturday night is massive though. Before they meet, France should batter Wales on Friday, while Scotland should do the same to Italy at Murrayfield. The spreads are roughly France by 25, Scotland by 18 and Ireland by 6.
THE REDS JUGGERNAUT GOES MARCHING ON
Liverpool fans are loving life right now. While they enjoy a six-point lead over Arsenal and a game in hand, they get a chance to extend that gap to nine points when they visit Bournemouth in the English Premier League on Saturday.
On Sunday, Arsenal will try to keep in the Reds’ slipstream, but Liverpool are able to watch their feet up knowing that either, or both, the Gunners and Man City will drop points in their encounter at The Emirates. In fact, with 15 rounds remaining, it will be quite a shock if Liverpool don’t win the League. The race for Europe beneath them is well and truly on though, with Nottingham Forest, City, Newcastle, Chelsea and Bournemouth separated by four points from third to seventh.
POPULAR SA20 ENTERS THE HOME STRAIGHT
Twenty-six group matches played, four left as the Betway SA20 competition reaches the business end. It has been another rousing month of T20 cricket, with good crowds helping establish it as an annual winner.
Paarl Royals and MI Cape Town have booked their places in the semi-finals, and the last two will come from Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals. The latter are the outsiders to reach the last four with two games to go. On Tuesday the playoffs start with the final next Saturday.
STAR FILLY READY TO SIGN OFF IN STYLE
With the Cape Town Met a thing of the past, attention switches back to the Highveld where the Gauteng Guineas and Fillies Guineas occupy centre stage at Turffontein. The Fillies race is all about Quid Pro Quo, who is having her last race in South Africa before being exported.
Yes, she’s that good. She has won six of her eight starts, and her current betting odds of 4-10 actually look generous. Quid Pro Quo should win and go on to fry bigger fish overseas. In the colt’s Guineas, Greaterix and Fire Attack renew their rivalry, with Greaterix fancied to win.
THE UFC QUIET BEFORE NEXT WEEK’S STORM
We’ve still got a week to go before Dricus du Plessis defends his UFC middleweight belt against Sean Strickland – I really think the South African will win this rematch quite easily, inside the distance – but this week’s UFC highlight is another man Du Plessis beat, former champion Israel Adesanya.
The 35-year-old is starting to get gunshy, but should still have too much ammo for the No5-ranked Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night. Perhaps Adesanya by unanimous decision, but not a memorable classic.
