This weekend promises to be pure sporting cinema! On the soccer pitch, we look forward to a blockbuster MTN8 semi-final...
This weekend promises to be pure sporting cinema! On the soccer pitch, we look forward to a blockbuster MTN8 semi-final first leg between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, as well as the return of the Premier League. The Rugby Championship also kicks off on Saturday afternoon when the Springboks host the Wallabies before Argentina face the All Blacks in Córdoba. And of course, we’ll get to see Dricus du Plessis attempt to defend his middleweight strap against Khamzat Chimaev.
MTN8: Buccaneers under pressure ahead of Sundowns showdown
A season that promised so much has already begun to unravel for Orlando Pirates as pressure mounts on new manager Abdeslam Ouaddou. A win in the first round of the MTN8 against Polokwane City was followed up by back-to-back defeats against Sekhukhune and Marumo Gallants. Sundowns, meanwhile, hit Richards Bay for four in their MTN8 quarter final. Their draw with Chippa on the opening weekend of the league came as a shock to many before normal service resumed on Wednesday evening with a 2-0 win over AmaZulu.
Ouaddou has some decisions to make for this one. Leaving Rele Mofokeng on the bench against Gallants drew the ire of many Pirates supporters, with Jaisen Clifford’s 92nd-minute winner for Marumo further exacerbating the issues. After a brilliant season under Jose Riveiro last time out, and with a ridiculous clutch of star signings in the transfer window, there will be little time for the Moroccan to get things right. There couldn’t be a worse time to square off against Sundowns.
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The Premier League returns
Speaking of pressure, Ruben Amorim gets his first full Premier League campaign as Manchester United manager underway on Saturday. Coming in midway through last season, he was given a free hit even as results slid and the club’s 42-point haul was only good enough for 15th place. He spent big in the window, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Carlos Baleba also likely to arrive for a figure north of £100 million. He simply must push for top four at the very least. An opening weekend tie at the Theatre of Dreams against Arsenal is hardly ideal, with the Gunners winning on their last three visits to the ground.
Elsewhere, Liverpool — who have also splashed the cash — are in action against Bournemouth on Friday evening. While Liverpool have strengthened, the Cherries have been shorn of their brightest stars. Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi have all departed, along with Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan coming to an end. A tough evening awaits at Anfield.
Manchester City travels to the Black Country to square off against Wolves. Pep Guardiola cut a stressed figure last season as the wheels came off over the festive period, and a strong start at Molineux is of paramount importance.
Chelsea have also splashed the cash this summer and get their campaign underway at home against Crystal Palace. The Club World Cup winners have had significantly less rest than most of their rivals. It’ll be interesting to see how they handle the opening weeks of the campaign after their escapades across the Pacific.
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Rugby Championship: Title defence on the cards for Rassie and the Springboks?
It’s crazy to think that the Springboks have never successfully defended a Rugby Championship or Tri-Nations title. That’s exactly what they’ll be aiming to do over the next few months. They’ve also got the chance to become the first side to beat the All Blacks at Eden Park in 50 matches.
But before all of that, they get their campaign underway against a Wallabies outfit who have just come off a bruising series defeat against the British & Irish Lions. The Boks, meanwhile, faced off against a weakened Italian side and Georgia, with some suggesting they’re a bit undercooked coming into the Rugby Championship.
Rassie Erasmus will know that the first two home Tests against Australia will set the tone for their campaign, and with just two years to go until the World Cup down under, time is running out to bed in new combinations.
The curtain will come down on the weekend’s TRC action in Córdoba when Argentina faces the All Blacks. Scott Robertson will miss some key personnel on the treatment table in the form of Tyrel Lomax, Cam Roigard, Luke Jacobson, Noah Hotham and Caleb Clarke.
Los Pumas are a serious team but still blow frustratingly hot and cold. They beat the British & Irish Lions before back-to-back defeats against a second-string English side. They also opened last season’s Rugby Championship with a 38-30 win against the All Blacks in Wellington before losing 42-10 at Eden Park a week later. They’ll be targeting a fast start in front of their partisan support.
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Dricus du Plessis: Mzansi’s warrior returns to the octagon
UFC 319 at Chicago’s United Center features a stacked card, with the main event seeing South Africa’s first UFC champion, Dricus du Plessis, attempt to defend his middleweight strap against the unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev.
There’s no doubting the Chechen’s ability; however, there are chinks in his armour as fights drag into the championship rounds. If he can’t impose his ground game on the South African, there’s every chance he could blow up heading into the fourth round, where Dricus’ superior stamina will put him in a position to end the fight.
We saw evidence of this when Chimaev dominated early proceedings against Gilbert Burns before his breathing became seriously laboured and his takedown attempts slowed significantly.
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