Top of the box: Your weekend TV viewing
As daylight saving ends and the winter chill nears, across the Pacific the azaleas bloom, the lakes shimmer and the world’s best golfers converge on Augusta National.
It’s Masters time from early today as Kiwi Ryan Fox makes his second appearance, Rory McIlroy continues his quest for an elusive green jacket and Jon Rahm attempts to defend his title.
For viewing time (in New Zealand), tradition and quality this remains the most watchable major. But what did Rahm serve up at this week’s champions’ dinner, you ask? We explore this burning question and others in this week’s top-five sport on screen.
5 – The Masters 2024
When: Today till Monday (NZT). Coverage:
From 7am daily, live on Sky Sport 6 (channel 56), pop-ups on channels 50, 59 and 600
Tradition dictates the Masters champion chooses the menu for the champions’ dinner, staged two days out from the following year’s tournament. Tiger Woods famously picked cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes after he won his first in 1997, and refined it to tempura shrimp and spicy tuna rolls, prime steak and chicken fajitas after title No 5 in 2019.
This year Rahm consulted famed Spanish chef Jose Andres and offered the following: tapas for starters; Ensalada de Txangurro (Basque crab salad and potato) for the entree; a main of Chuleton a la Parrilla (a smoked and seared Basque ribeye steak) or Rodaballo al Pil-Pil (a fish dish made with turbot and Navarra white asparagus), and then Milhojas de Crema y Nata (a puff pastry cake with custard and Chantilly cream) for dessert. Delicioso.
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler is at very short odds ($5) to repeat his 2022 victory and offer up cheeseburger sliders, firecracker shrimp, Texas ribeye or blackened redfish as he did a year ago.
4 – Super Rugby Aupiki final: Blues v Chiefs Manawa
When: Tomorrow, 4.05pm. Coverage:
Live on Sky Sport 1 (channel 51)
With Black Ferns spots up for grabs in their May series, the big guns get a final chance to impress at Eden Park as Ruahei Demant’s Blues eye their first Aupiki title at their third attempt. It’s 1-1 this season between them and Chiefs Manawa, who were pipped by Matatū in a heartbreaker in last year’s decider.
Speedsters Katelyn Vaha’akolo (Blues) and Ruby Tui (Chiefs) have brought the firepower – Vaha’akolo is equal top tryscorer with six, and most dangerous attacker with 605m gained (Tui is second with 428m). Tui leads the stats for clean breaks with 15 to Vaha’akolo’s 11.
3 – A-League Men: Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne Victory
When: Today, 7pm. Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 2 (channel 52) There are three regular-season matches left for the Phoenix – two of those at home – as they sit level on points with Central Coast Mariners in the race for the Premier’s Plate and pole position for the playoffs (and a potential home final on May 25).
Melbourne Victory sit third, five points adrift, and the teams can’t be split this season, with two 1-1 draws so far. For the Phoenix a draw will be enough to guarantee a top-two finish.
The forecast is not great for Wellington, with downpours predicted at various stages today, which means either bad news for crowd numbers, or good news for the Nix and home advantage. As the Yellow Fever chant: “We’ve got the wind, the rain and the Phoenix ... oh Wellington is wonderful.”
2 – Super Rugby Pacific: Hurricanes v Chiefs
When: Tomorrow, 7.05pm. Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1 (channel 51)
Could this be the Canes’ year? At 6-0 under new coach Clark Laidlaw, the side’s fans are daring to dream of a second title, eight years on from the franchise’s breakthrough 2016 victory.
Not so fast, say the Chiefs’ faithful. One of the pre-competition favourites stumbled against the Crusaders then roared back against Moana Pasifika with Damian McKenzie back in the driver’s seat.
All eyes will be on the All Blacks No 10 in waiting, and the rejuvenated TJ Perenara who returns for the injured Cam Roigard, with a black No 9 jersey very much up for grabs.
1 – NRL: Warriors v Sea Eagles
When: Tomorrow, 5pm. Coverage: Live on
Sky Sport 4 (channel 54)
Saturday afternoon footy clearly agrees with the Wahs, who are on a roll, after destroying Souths. With playmakers Shaun Johnson and Daly Cherry-Evans among the two most influential in the NRL, this is a mouth-watering matchup.
Back at Mt Smart, the Warriors chase a fourth straight win (with their tryscoring machine Dallin Watene-Zelezniak back) and the Sea Eagles swagger into town after a 32-18 win over defending champions Penrith.