Townsville is also rated a street course. And van Gisbergen will be on a high, as he seeks to clamber his way back to his usual position atop the Supercars points table.
5. Warriors v Parramatta, Saturday, 7.30pm – Sky
Fine weather is predicted in Sydney, which will be a relief to Warriors fans who have seen their team bomb in heavy rain, twice, at Mt Smart.
Better still, the Eels have lost their ace backs Mitchell Moses and Clint Gutherson to State of Origin call-ups.
That sees the eighth-placed Warriors listed as warm favourites over the sixth-placed, free-wheeling Eels even though expectant father Shaun Johnson is unlikely to play. It’s been a long time since confidence in a Warriors team has been this resilient.
League fans who can’t resist a dead rubber also have the third Origin match on Wednesday night to look forward to.
The Warriors will be hoping for dry weather. Photo / NRL Photos
4. Wimbledon tennis, from Friday, 10pm – Sky/Prime
He’s gone, but Roger Federer is certainly not forgotten. This year’s Wimbledon kicked off by paying homage to THE retired legend, but the tennis is now taking over.
The place still reeks of snobby elitism but if you can get past that, there’s something quaintly comforting about grass court tennis. Tradition is a double-edged sword.
3. US Open golf, from Friday, 8am – Sky
The most prized trophy in women’s golf, and there is even greater anticipation than usual for this tournament.
For the first time, it will be played at the famous Pebble Beach links in California, where rising superstar Rose Zhang holds the course record of 63.
The tournament will also mark the introduction of the player tracking system in the women’s game. This allows fans to follow any player in real-time online, a system that has been used in the men’s game for a couple of decades.
The venue is so beloved that previous champs Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie - in her farewell tournament - have joined the field.
Zhang is the favourite, in just her third professional start, an understandable although over-optimistic assessment. She is destined for world stardom and a victory at Pebble Beach would be lauded as a watershed moment for golf and women’s sport.
Argentina upset the All Blacks last year. Photo / Photosport
There’s a startling lack of fizz to the new test season, even though Sunday will provide a feast of rugby.
It opens with South Africa playing Australia at 3.05am, a first glimpse of the Eddie Jones Returns Effect. Capping the day off will be another (yawn) Black Ferns romp against Canada at 11am.
The main event for most will be the All Blacks’ first test of the season, also known as the opening salvo in the World Cup campaign.
The name of the game for all of the big guns will be building confidence and cohesion without giving too much away before the tournament in France.
The form book paints a bizarre picture when it comes to these two sides.
A badly under-prepared Argentina scored their maiden win over the All Blacks in Sydney three years ago, and topped that with a shock victory in Christchurch last year. Yet the All Blacks have crushed the Pumas in other recent meetings.
It will be the first time the All Blacks have played a test in Mendoza, although they had non-test encounters there decades ago. Argentina might appreciate the change of venue, as it seeks a first home win over New Zealand.
1. The Ashes third test, from Friday, 10pm - TVNZ
Jonny Bairstow was unimpressed by his dismissal in the second test. Photo / Getty
Cricket hostilities resumed last night between England and Australia at Headingley. This increasingly acrimonious series is turning into the sporting highlight of the year so far. The All Blacks test should be No 1 this week, but rugby is flailing and can’t hold a candle to this captivating cricket battle which remains as relevant today as it has throughout a long and fascinating history.
