Ruby Tui celebrates her try during the Black Ferns' semifinal victory. Photo / photosport.nz
OPINION:
Chris Rattue ranks the best sports to watch this weekend and beyond.
7) Fifa World Cup (the week after next) - Sky
Jumping the gun, yes, but excitement got the better of me.
Nothing in sport comes close to matching football’s World Cup. And those who are dilly-dallying with their wall charts and sweepstakes need a reminder to get cracking.
The ugly side of host country Qatar is featuring prominently in the build-up, but it will be swept aside by the so-called beautiful game once the tournament kicks off with… drum roll… Qatar v Ecuador in the early hours of November 21.
World Cup prediction: England will go agonisingly close.
Fun fact: The World Cup final is just a week before Christmas Day.
6) Diego Maradona football auction, London, Thursday
Carrying on the World Cup football theme, maybe the most famous ball in history goes up for auction in London next week.
Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser missed Diego Maradona’s infringement in his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup, but he did end up with the football.
What a happy coincidence for the ref.
The ball is expected to go for millions, as did Maradona’s shirt when put up by Steve Hodge, one of the England players who watched him score the most incredible of goals in the same game.
The shirt went for about $16m. The ball is expected to fetch a mere $5m.
The wild-living, free-spending Maradona died poor in 2020, thanks in part to a massive Italian tax debt.
5) Steven Alker v Padraig Harrington, Friday–Monday, 10am - Sky
Kiwi Steven Alker goes for senior golf’s overall season title at the Charles Schwab Cup in Phoenix, near his American home.
The battle has come down to points leader Alker and Ireland’s Harrington, two of the ‘youngsters’ on the Champions tour.
The long-hitting Harrington has the big-match experience of a major winner. Alker has the points advantage.
4) Israel Adesanya v Alex Pereira, UFC 281, Sunday, 4pm - Spark/Sky Arena/UFC Fight Pass
The Kiwi mixed martial arts star might be a confused puppy right now — not that he ever gives the impression of lacking confidence.
But Adesanya has gone from beloved king of the cage to the subject of criticism, even though he remains unbeatable in his weight division.
The 33-year-old Kiwi/Nigerian stands accused of not being “entertaining” enough.
Adesanya has hit back by saying it’s hard to go to town on opponents who put up the shutters.
Brazilian Pereira — a ferocious kickboxer — might be the answer. After two kickboxing wins over Adesanya, he’s been fast-tracked into this middleweight MMA title bout at New York’s famous Madison Square Garden.
If Adesanya keeps his head, most pundits expect his winning run will continue. But if the noise has got to Adesanya and he heads too far down the “entertainment” path, Pereira might pounce.
3) All Blacks v Scotland, Monday, 3.15am - Sky
There’s never been a golden era of Scottish rugby, and they’ve never beaten the All Blacks.
Indeed, the Scots have not won the Six Nations. They are occasional disruptors rather than contenders.
Their star power has also been limited — for many years the wonderful commentator Bill McLaren was the most famous Scottish rugby figure.
And there’s always the feeling that there isn’t enough talent or maybe belief spread throughout the team to beat the All Blacks.
Then again these All Blacks — who crushed Wales — struggle to string good performances together, and the scoreboard flattered them a bit in Cardiff.
Bottom line: Scotland got very close to rolling the All Blacks in 2017 and this could be a close test, but a Scottish victory would still be a major shock.
As for other test rugby this weekend, the outstanding matchup involves France playing South Africa in Marseille (Sunday, 9am on Sky), a clash between the World Cup holders and next year’s hosts and potential favourites. Before that Japan will try to trip up England, an intriguing proposition.
2) Rugby League World Cup semifinal: New Zealand v Australia, Saturday, 8.45am - Spark
New Zealand’s sad overall record against Australia is even worse at World Cups.
In 15 Cup clashes they have prevailed just once, and have often been thrashed. Despite all the positive pre-tournament vibes about the Kiwis, I just can’t see them winning this one in Leeds either.
Given the players at their disposal, Michael Maguire’s Kiwis have been disappointing during this World Cup.
And Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos won’t let Joseph Manu run the way he has been from fullback, negating his match-turning potential and the Kiwis’ one major weapon.
Australia has too much attacking class, from the spark of Harry Grant to fullback James Tedesco.
In the other semifinal, Samoa will have to get over any mental scars when they play England at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium (Sunday, 3.30am). The hosts crushed them 60-6 in the opening game of the tournament but a vastly improved Samoa are a chance to score a remarkable reversal.
Teenage fullback Joseph Suaali’i produced an off-the-charts performance against Tonga in the quarter-final and is the key to Samoa’s hopes.
England will be primed to stop the big kid in his tracks. One of the men targeting him will be his Roosters teammate, Victor ‘The Inflictor’ Radley.
Thankfully, Samoan captain Junior Paulo’s ridiculous one-match ban has been overturned on appeal, allowing him to lead the side.
1) Rugby World Cup final: Black Ferns v England, Saturday, 7.30pm - Spark/Three
It’s nearly 50 years since English rugby’s finest moment on Eden Park, when a very good team on a winless provincial run got serious and upset the All Blacks.
The champagne may well be headed to an England dressing room again on Saturday night, given their women’s dominance of recent years.
But Wayne Smith’s Black Ferns are unrecognisable from the 2021 rabble, and a packed Eden Park should help Sarah Hirini, Kendra Cocksedge and co. rise to great heights.
People I’ve met who attended the All Blacks’ gripping victory over France in the 2011 World Cup final at Eden Park have described the experience as agony.
There was so much on the line, as a heavily favoured All Blacks side struggled to deliver the rugby prize that had famously eluded them for so long.
Saturday night’s final shapes as another heart-stopper, of constant counter-punches between teams who will err on the side of caution unless the situation gets desperate.
Whatever the outcome, the capacity crowd and mass interest in the game marks it as a historic occasion for New Zealand and women’s sport.
Fun question: If the Black Ferns win the World Cup, will coach Wayne Smith be offered a knighthood as has occurred with All Black coaches?
On one hand, the drive to give women’s sport equal status with men’s demands their coaches be treated the same. On the other hand, knighting a bloke for a breakthrough women’s sporting moment would feel frustratingly patriarchal.
Bit of a conundrum there, and let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Warriors star Kurt Capewell led the way for the Maroons.