Chris Rattue ranks the best sport to watch this weekend.
8) Warriors v Canberra, Friday, 8pm - Sky
The top-four chasing Warriors are compulsory viewing these days. They will hope Canberra’s emotions get the better of them as the home side celebrate the revered Jarrod Croker’s 300th game.
Andthe Warriors’ record in the chiller is pretty good of late. It includes an incredible comeback victory a couple of years ago, although only six players remain from that.
An unfortunate clash with the Blues-Waratahs rugby quarter-final will give dual code fans a tricky choice to make.
The Warriors celebrate Shaun Johnson's first try against the Dolphins. Photo / Photosport
7) Golfing spoiler alert - LPGA Shoprite Classic & PGA Canadian Open
A new feature of the watchlist - what not to watch.
So, avoid the Shoprite in New Jersey if you are simply desperate to catch more of Rose Zhang, the 20-year-old American golfing sensation who won in her first professional event last week. She’s got final exams at Stanford and is then moving out of her dormitory instead of playing this weekend.
And you are also out of luck if the shock merger of the PGA and LIV tours had whetted your appetite for acrimonious battles at the Canadian Open.
The troubling golf truce is sure to be the talk of the clubhouse. But I doubt golf’s saccharine TV commentary will address the matter with any gusto, if at all.
6) Le Mans 24-hour motor race, Sunday - Sky
It’s the centenary of the French endurance classic, with Kiwi Brendon Hartley aiming for a fourth victory in seven years as part of the powerful Toyota team.
Fellow Kiwis Scott Dixon and Earl Bamber face a tougher time in Cadillac’s return to the great race, which is stacked with big-name manufacturers as the new hypercar category takes hold.
Le Mans is bigger than big, in part because it retains the vestiges of old-world glamour.
LeBron James would rather be part of the NBA finals, but he will pump up the superstar factor as the official race starter, while NFL quarterback legend Tom Brady is also expected to be hanging around the track.
Starts in the wee hours of Sunday morning, and runs into Monday.
5) World test cricket final: India v Australia, Saturday, Sunday, 9pm - Sky
The tastiest rivalry in test cricket — the final might have got very interesting by the weekend stage, days four and five. Aficionados will be immersed in the battle already.
4) NBA finals: Miami Heat v Denver Nuggets, Saturday, Tuesday, 12.30pm - Sky
The compelling Nikola Jokic show continues, as Miami attempt to stall his charge into the pantheon.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler shoots while defended by Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr (left) and centre Nikola Jokic (right) during the NBA finals. Photo / AP
3) Super Rugby quarter-finals: Friday and Saturday - Sky
At last, some cut-throat rugby to enjoy after the lifeless round-robin guff.
Our close encounter rankings are:
Brumbies v Hurricanes - Saturday 9.35pm
Australia’s best chance of advancing, but the Brumbies’ lack of adventure means they hardly deserve to. The only likely close encounter in the quarter-finals.
Crusaders v Drua - Saturday 7.05pm
Just about everybody in the neutral corner will be barracking for the Fijian side to pull off an upset. Maybe they are some sort of chance, if remote. These are hardly the Crusaders of old.
Chiefs v Reds - Saturday 4.35pm
On paper, this should be a tough battle. But the Chiefs will be on red alert after their shock loss to the Queenslanders this year.
Blues v Waratahs - Friday 7.35pm
The Waratahs have no chance at Eden Park (famous last words).
2) Champions League final: Manchester City v Inter Milan, Sunday, 7am - Sky
Manchester City are overwhelming favourites and will dominate the ball, but Italian football sides can be masters of defence.
City’s biggest enemy is themselves — if Pep Guardiola’s side play to potential, they win.
Key matchups will include ageing defender Francesco Acerbi — a cancer survivor — trying to contain City’s giant goalscoring phenomenon Erling Haaland.
Inter will need to steer Haaland into Acerbi’s trap, but it’s hard to see them preventing Kevin De Bruyne and co. giving the Norwegian at least a few plum goal chances in this tantalising final.
1) French Open semifinal: Carlos Alcaraz v Novak Djokovic, Saturday, 12.45am - Sky
Novak Djokovic faces world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open semifinal. Photo / AP
The boring French Open goes into orbit with the tennis match everyone wants to see.
The Serbian maestro and flying Spaniard, the young world No 1, have only met once, with Alcaraz winning on clay in Madrid last year.
If Djokovic can win this Rafael Nadal-free clay court tournament, he will reach a record 23 grand slam singles titles.
It shapes as an intense nail-biter, to match those wonder battles involving Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer.
If the thought of this match isn’t enough tennis for you, then I highly recommend trying to track down a three-part BBC Two production called Gods of Tennis.
The first episode is based around activists Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe, who didn’t see eye-to-eye on the status of women’s tennis.
There is some wonderful footage to go with the dialogue, a reminder of a golden and pivotal era for tennis.
I can’t vouch for the next two episodes, but the first one was a fascinating trip down memory lane.
