Festive URC firecracker in Cape Town, heavyweight feast in the east and more ahead of the Christmas weekend!

BULLS HAVE STORMERS HOODOO TO BEAT

The United Rugby Championship – as opposed to the European Rugby Champions Cup – resumes this weekend after a three-week break. There are seven games and the favourites are Glasgow (vs Edinburgh), Ulster (vs Connacht), Benetton (vs Zebre), Stormers (vs Bulls), Cardiff (vs Dragons), Scarlets (vs Ospreys) and Leinster (vs Munster).

We haven’t had a round yet when all the favourites have won. This round offers an enticing 14/1 on that all to come. From a South African perspective, it’s the showdown at the Cape Town Stadium where the Stormers (10th) are odds-on to beat the Bulls (3rd).

At the venue in May, the Stormers won 33-21. In February the Stormers won 23-19 and last December they won 37-27. In fact, they’ve won the last eight matches against the Bulls in this competition. The Bulls last beat their rivals (40-3) in February 2019.

To whet your appetite, check out this hit on Fourie du Preez by Schalk Burger from back in Super Rugby days.

CAN VILLA BE TOP AT CHRISTMAS?

No prizes for guessing this weekend’s highlight from the Premier League programme. It’s the blockbuster at Anfield where Liverpool host table-toppers Arsenal.

The hosts, held to a goalless draw against Man United last week, only the fourth such result this season, are actually marginal betting favourites on Saturday night.

However, the log is going to have an interesting look at the end of Saturday, no matter what happens. Aston Villa can go to 41 points if they beat bottom-placed Sheffield United. In that case, should Liverpool win, then they and Villa would be top.

Should Arsenal win, Villa would go second. Should Liverpool vs Arsenal be a draw, Villa would be top at Christmas!

BOXING DAY PREMIER LEAGUE MADNESS

We explore this more in our Premier League blog and technically it’s not this weekend, but next Tuesday, the day after Christmas. In football terms it’s called “Boxing Day madness”.

Traditionally, results in the top-flight go bonkers. Top of the list are those 66 goals in the 1963 round (check out that remarkable set of results below), but that’s not to say there aren’t goals flying in the modern era. It’s actually one of my sporting highlights of the year – to sit in front of the TV and tune in to the Goal Rush channel.

Generally speaking, we can expect around three goals per game. In 2001 and 2003 there were 31 goals and in 2000, 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2018 there were 29 goals. The past couple of years they’ve spread the fixtures out over a few days – Bah Humbug – and last year there were only seven matches on Boxing Day. They produced 25 goals. This season there are five games. Can we expect between 15 and 20 goals?

HEAVYWEIGHT BOUTS WORTH WATCHING

They’re calling it “The Day Of Reckoning” in Saudi Arabia this weekend and actually, it’s a rare feast for fight followers. There are three headline acts on the card in the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh.

Former world champions Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker lock horns, while another former champ Anthony Joshua also continues on the comeback trail, taking on Otto Wallin and Daniel Dubois taking on drugs-tainted Jarrell Miller.

Wilder is more puncher than boxer and you might expect him to beat Parker by stoppage, while surely Joshua will stop Wallin? The other one is trickier: Dubois, the favourite, has a fragile chin (ask Kevin Lerena) and fragile confidence, and the brash Miller has failed several drug tests, although the American carries a hefty whack.

For me, the 22/10 for a stoppage double win for Joshua and Wilder is the way to go.

APPRECIATE HOW GOOD THESE ‘ATHLETES’ ARE

It’s one of the most boisterous atmospheres in all sport – the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London. Alcohol-fuelled spectators shouting as the elite darts “athletes” strut their stuff.

But they’re actually bloody good. I fancied myself as a fairly competent darts player after a few beers and once played in a social league every Monday night. In August I was in London and was in a pub. There was a competition darts event, £10 entry fee. Thirty-two players and prizes started at the last eight.

It was 501, flying start, closing double. I’d hardly got into my rhythm when I left, tail between legs, trounced 3-0 in the best-of-five. The person who beat me reached the quarter-finals. It was a lady.

Check out this crazy leg between Michael Smith and Michael van Gerwen. Smith nailed a perfect nine-dart leg, but only after van Gerwen had missed double 12 for his own nine-darter. Bonkers stuff!

RACING’S CALM BEFORE THE STORM

There’s a double card of races on Saturday, at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and at Turffontein. There are no standout features races at Kenilworth – the highest stake money is R155 000 – but there are four races with more prize money at the Big T which makes it the better card for some.

Odds-on for the main event there, the R250 000 Lebelo Sprint (Grade 3) over 1000m, is the Tony Peter-trained Rulership. At Kenilworth, it looks like the calm before the storm of massive racing (the King’s Plate and the Met both take place in January) coming up.