Hollywoodbets Sports writer Gary Lemke looks ahead to an action-filled sporting weekend as the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers play host to SA derbies in the URC, as Sundowns set the pace in local football.
Gary writes…
Andre Esterhuizen of the Hollywoodbets Sharks in action (Pic – Supplied)
Win Or Lose, Fury Has Earned Boxing’s Respect
Tyson Fury has done so much in recent years that no one can ever call him “overrated” or “overhyped” again.
He’s earned respect for being one of the best champions of this era of “big heavyweights”, and while his theatrics tend to overshadow his underrated ring skills, he’s livened up a moribund division in recent years.
Can he avenge his only defeat, a split points verdict to Oleksandr Usyk when the rematch takes place in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night? I’ve always believed in the adage that “a good big ‘un will beat a good little ‘un.”
Friday’s weigh-in will be interesting and could give us a pointer to the result. I can actually see it going any of three ways, but will side with Fury on points. Usyk is the 8-10 favourite, Fury is 13-10 and the draw is 16-1.
Littler Favourite To Hit Bull’s Eye
You’re going to be hearing plenty of the old “one hundred and eighty” over the next fortnight as the World Darts Championship heats up in London.
The last tournament saw the emergence of teenager Luke Littler and the still 17-year-old is a 2-1 favourite to win the title.
It must be remembered that he lost the last final, to Luke Humphries, who is 3-1, while Gary Anderson and Michael Van Gerwen are both at 10-1.
This week Littler was named runner-up in the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award, with Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodkinson being adjudged the winner, while cricketer Joe Root finished third.
Stormers, Sharks Feel Christmas Vibe
The United Rugby Championship franchise players will all be home for Christmas with the fixture list kindly throwing up a few “derbies”.
We’ve switched back from the rigours of the Investec Champions Cup where last week Northampton produced the upset of the season to beat the Bulls at Loftus.
Siya Kolisi is back to lead the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Derby dual (Pic – Supplied)
Now, in this other 16-team competition, we start the round with Leinster being the only unbeaten team after seven rounds, with the Bulls third, the Lions fifth, the Hollywoodbets Sharks sixth and the Stormers 13th.
With away wins so tough to come by, something I can’t avoid repeating every week for those taking a punt, the Stormers host the Lions and the Sharks entertain the Bulls. The Christmas parties in Cape Town and Durban might get started early.
Red Or Blue At The Top Of The Christmas Tree?
It’s the last round of fixtures in the English Premier League before Christmas and we already know that statistically the bottom-placed club are all but doomed to relegation.
Will Liverpool head into Christmas at the top of the table? (Pic – Supplied)
Sorry, Southampton, it’s not as if you weren’t warned. In terms of leading at Christmas and winning the League, a fraction over half of those teams actually do so.
Either Liverpool (away to Tottenham) or Chelsea (away to Everton) will head to Christmas at the top of the table. The most interesting game is in the Midlands where Aston Villa host champions Man City.
Pep Guardiola’s team have lost five of their last seven and lost to rivals Man United last weekend after being 1-0 at 87 minutes, highlighting how brittle their confidence currently is.
Sundowns In Familiar Spot On Table
Unlike the English Premier League, there is no mystique surrounding the Betway Premiership standings ahead of Christmas.
There are only two matches before Santa squeezes his way down the chimney and the top two sides, Sundowns and Pirates, are each involved.
The leaders and champions are away to 13th-placed AmaZulu, while second-placed Pirates host 12-placed Galants.
Sundowns should hit Christmas on top, and they’d need to lose to AmaZulu while PIrates would have to beat Gallants, probably by around four goals, for that to happen. Magesi will be bottom at Christmas.
Proteas In Action Ahead Of Boxing Day Test
South Africa’s men’s Proteas have a final ODI against Pakistan at the Wanderers on Sunday before the attention turns to the traditional Boxing Day Test next Thursday, at Centurion.
The Proteas have a final ODI against Pakistan at the Wanderers on Sunday (Pic – Supplied)
For now, though the Proteas white-ball team will try to get on the scoreboard after losing the first two ODI games, and therefore the series.
North of the border, Zimbabwe are also preparing for Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests, against Afghanistan, with a final ODI in Harare. Although the first match was rained off, the clouds opened with Zimbabwe 44 for 5.
In the second ODI, they were bowled out for 54 chasing 286. On the evidence of what we’ve seen, the visitors look to have too much firepower.
