All Blacks head coach Ian Foster and Italy's Kieran Crowley clash over claims that the NZ side will 'intimidate' and 'bully' the Italians in the upcoming match. Video / NZ Herald
Chris Rattue ranks the top sporting events to watch over the next few days.
6) Black Ferns v Wallaroos, Saturday 4.35pm – SKY/SKY Open
Another chapter in the ritual slaughter, and a chance to watch the world rugby champs put their drills into practice.
We are in times where thereality of keeping women’s sport in the forefront struggles to match the noble aims.
A lopsided prospect like this involving players who haven’t had the chance to become household names is a case in point.
We shall see, but fair to say Maor knows what he’s doing when it comes to imports, judging by his first season in charge.
Breakers forward Zylan Cheatham throws down a poster dunk against the Adelaide 36ers. Photo / NZ Breakers
4) Silver Ferns v England, Saturday 7pm - SKY/SKY Open
There’s no such thing as bad publicity.
The Taini Jamison Trophy netball series has gone from an alleged non-event to a decent news item thanks to the Silver Ferns’ first test capitulation against a supposedly weak England team.
To some degree, New Zealand often underperformed at the international level, playing a distant second fiddle to Australia for a long time when netball was a two-horse race.
But that still doesn’t quite explain how the recent world champions have turned into such chumps.
They crushed England in the second game but another comprehensive victory in this third and final encounter still won’t heal all the wounds.
3) NRL grand final, Penrith v Brisbane, Sunday, 9.30pm - SKY
A little hollow, with the great Warriors’ run coming to an abrupt end last week.
Penrith and Brisbane are by, some margin, the best sides in the NRL this year. It would have been an injustice for either to miss out on the Sydney showpiece.
Unusually for an NRL team these days, the Broncos have no Kiwi test players, although Jordan Riki will soon change that.
Kiwi props Moses Leota and James Fisher-Harris lead the charge for the Panthers, who are chasing a three-peat.
Penrith are making a fourth consecutive grand final appearance, a fantastic feat on its own in the salary cap era.
James Fisher-Harris and the Panthers are looking for an NRL Premiership three-peat. Photo / Getty Images
2) All Blacks v Italy, Saturday 8am - SKY
A dud weekend at the World Cup, not helped by Vaea Fifita’s suspension taking him out of Tonga’s match against the Springboks on Monday morning (8am).
The All Blacks will be too good for Italy. Way too good. Enough said.
1) Ryder Cup, from Friday 6.30pm – SKY
The three-day golf brawl provides some of the best sporting action on the planet these days.
Europe were smashed in America two years ago but they have not lost at home for 30 years.
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland will head the European effort in Rome but the team may struggle without key veterans like Sergio Garcia from the LIV tour.
They will face a high-quality American dozen that includes world number one Scottie Scheffler.
The US of A deserve to be slight favourites, unless their team bonding comes unglued by including divisive Brooks Koepka from the rich-rebel LIV tour.
Koepka, one of captain Zach Johnson’s picks, is simply too good and has too many major victories to leave out, although tellingly he was left out of a team photo.
Koepka will be the only one of 15 Ryder Cup players on the LIV tour to figure in this year’s contest at the club on the outskirts of the Eternal City.
The Marco Simone course was specifically remodelled for the Ryder Cup and this includes an emphasis on the stadium experience. Up to 50,000 spectators are expected each day, and as Ryder Cup watchers know, the team contest can unleash fans’ inner mongrel.
Can’t wait.
But wait, there’s more.
We’ll not only see gripping golf action but may also get a glimpse of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
