An armchair guide to the weekend’s sport on TV
From the Grand National at Aintree to the Australian Grand Prix and Masters at Augusta, the live sporting action comes thick and fast this weekend.
There is also Premier League action at the top and bottom of the table, as title chasers Manchester City and Liverpool collide on Sunday, while Everton and Burnley will hope to boost their survival hopes.
England will look to continue their flying start to the Women’s Six Nations campaign against Wales, and there is quarter-final action in rugby league’s Challenge Cup.
So sit back and relax with the remote as the PA news agency provides the essential guide of what to watch and where to catch all of the action.
Saturday
HORSE RACINGGrand National Festival – ITV & STV 1400
Rachael Blackmore made history last year as she guided Minella Times to victory at Aintree.
They will partner up again for Saturday’s big race at 1715 BST, but carry top weight this time.
Snow Leopardess has emerged as one of the favourites along with Any Second Now and Delta Work.
But just who will come through a 40-strong field to pass the winning post is anybody’s guess.
Best have your pin stickers’ guides at the ready next to the remote!
GOLFThe Masters – Sky Sports Golf 1930 & Sky Sports Main Event 2000
Just over a year after suffering severe leg injuries in a car crash in Los Angeles, Tiger Woods is making his latest comeback in the 86th Masters.
After a solid start to his opening round, it would be a dream return if the 15-time major winner went on to secure another Green Jacket come Sunday.
And perhaps there would be more fitting place to do so than at Augusta National.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Everton v Manchester United – BT Sport 1 1130; Aston Villa v Tottenham – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Premier League 1700
Frank Lampard was again left counting the cost of individual errors after his side slumped to a 3-2 defeat at relegation rivals Burnley on Thursday night, when Maxwel Cornet struck a late winner for the Clarets.
A lunchtime trip to Old Trafford will provide another stern test of his side’s top-flight credentials, with United aiming to keep their own ambitions of European qualification on course.
Saturday’s late kick off sees Tottenham out to build on their 5-1 thrashing of Newcastle and stay in the top four with a positive result at Aston Villa.
FORMULA ONE
Australia Grand Prix practice – Sky Sports F1 0400; Qualifying – Sky Sports F1 & Sky Sports Main Event 0700
Melbourne plays host to Formula One’s first race Down Under in two years.
After the drama of Saudi Arabia – where a nearby missile strike threatened to cancel the second round of the new season – the teams will be hoping for a more regulation run around Albert Park this weekend.
Championship leader Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in second practice on Friday, just ahead of world champion Max Verstappen.
Mercedes, though, are in need of some improved performance to challenge for the constructors’ championship with Lewis Hamilton only 13th.
RUGBY UNIONWomen’s Six Nations, England v Wales – BBC Two England 1630
Along with France, England and Wales both won their first two matches of the championship.
The Red Roses are aiming for a fourth successive Women’s Six Nations title.
However, England cannot afford to be complacent against a Wales side who came from behind to beat Ireland and Scotland.
RUGBY LEAGUEChallenge Cup, Catalans Dragons v St Helens – BBC One 1430; Huddersfield v Hull FC – Premier Sports 1 1630
In a rematch of the 2021 Grand Final, holders St Helens tackle Catalans Dragons on Saturday afternoon at Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan.
The French club, who won the Cup at Wembley in 2018, were well beaten by the champions in the opening round of Super League in February – but will crucially have home advantage as they seek revenge.
Huddersfield, who climbed to third in the Super League after victory over the Dragons, will be out to improve on their performance against Hull last month, when the Giants went down 14-6.
Other Highlights:FOOTBALL: Championship, Sheffield United v Bournemouth – Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports Main Event 1200; Serie A, Inter Milan v Hellas Verona – BT Sport/ESPN 1715, Cagliari v Juventus – BT Sport 1 1930; LaLiga, Cadiz v Real Betis – LaLiga TV 1300, Villarreal v Athletic Bilbao – LaLiga TV 1730, Real Madrid v Getafe – Premier Sports 2 & LaLiga TV 2000; Ligue 1, Clermont v Paris St Germain – BT Sport 3 1945.
RUGBY UNION: Champions Cup, Sale v Bristol – Channel 4 and BT Sport 3 1230, Toulouse v Ulster – BT Sport 3 1500, Exeter v Munster – BT Sport 3 1715, Bordeaux v La Rochelle – BT Sport/ESPN 1245; Challenge Cup, Dragons v Gloucester – S4C 1945, United Rugby Championship, Stormers v Bulls – Free Sports 1255, Cardiff v Scarlets – Premier Sports 1 1400, Sharks v Lions – Free Sports 1500.
CRICKET: Second Test, South Africa v Bangladesh – Sky Sports Cricket & Sky Sports Mix 0830.
MOTOR CYCLING: World Superbikes, Pirelli Aragon superpole – Eurosport 2 0830, Race one – Eurosport 2 1115; MotoGP, Grand Prix of The Americas practice – BT Sport 2 1500, Qualifying – BT Sport 2 1800;
DARTS: WDF World Championship – Eurosport 2 1400 & 1900.
Sunday
GOLFThe Masters – Sky Sports Golf 1930 & Sky Sports Main Event 2000
Hideki Matsuyama pulled on the famous Green Jacket last year to become the first Japanese player to win a major.
There is sure to be plenty of drama over the closing round on Sunday.
Can South Korea’s Sungjae Im build on his early lead? Will former champion Danny Willett mount a charge and can Tiger stay in the hunt? Stay tuned to find out.
PREMIER LEAGUEManchester City v Liverpool – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Premier League 1600; Norwich v Burnley – Sky Sports Premier League 1300 & Sky Sports Main Event 1400
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola may have played down Sunday’s top-of-the-table Premier League clash against Liverpool as a title-decider – but millions of armchair fans around the globe will not want to miss any of the action.
The defending champions hold a slender one-point lead over the Reds, who have a superior goal difference and the heavyweight clash could be decided by just one moment of brilliance – which will be replayed over and over again in super-slow motion.
Points are also at a premium at the other end of the table when bottom club Norwich host relegation rivals Burnley knowing a win is vital to boost their fast-fading survival hopes.
FORMULA ONEAustralia Grand Prix – Sky Sports F1 & Sky Sports Main Event 0600
Verstappen passed Leclerc with four laps to go to win the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – and Sunday’s race in Melbourne could be just as close.
Red Bull driver Verstappen crossed the line only half-a-second ahead of Leclerc, with Carlos Sainz third and Sergio Perez, who had started in pole position, finishing fourth.
George Russell was fifth for Mercedes and Hamilton only 10th – with both men hoping for a dramatic improvement from their cars sooner rather than later.
RUGBY UNIONChampions Cup, Montpellier v Harlequins – BT Sport 3 1230, Clermont v Leicester Tigers – BT Sport 3 1500
Two heavyweight Anglo-French collisions will unfold across the Channel on Sunday when Harlequins and Leicester face Montpellier and Clermont.
The English sides are both title contenders in the Gallagher Premiership, but their Champions Cup credentials face a serious examination in the first of two legs that make up the round of 16 ties.
Montpellier are Top 14 leaders and Harlequins will need a stellar performance to take some reward from the match back to London, while Clermont are one of the great forces in European rugby and will provide a gauge of Leicester’s prospects.
RUGBY LEAGUEChallenge Cup, Wakefield Trinity v Wigan – BBC Two England 1400
Wigan, who hold the record for most Challenge Cup wins, will take on Wakefield in confident mood after sweeping past Salford 20-0 in the previous round.
Trinity, though, are on a roll after posting back-to-back away wins over Warrington.
After they beat the Warriors 14-6 in the league at Belle Vue last season, can Wakefield keep their cup dreams alive with a repeat performance on Sunday afternoon?
DARTSWDF World Championship – Eurosport 2 1700
Following on from the defunct BDO world championship, the Lakeside Country Club has played host to a new tournament this year organised by the World Darts Federation governing body which has a total prize fund of some £300,000.
With former men’s champion Wayne Warren and women’s winner Mikuru Suzuki out before the final weekend of action, an opportunity has opened up for someone else to make a name for themselves at Frimley Green.
Who will come out on top at the oche? Don’t change the channel and you will find out on Sunday night.
Other Highlights:FOOTBALL: cinch Premiership, St Mirren v Rangers – Sky Sports Football 1100, Sky Sports Main Event 1130; Serie A, Genoa v Lazio – BT Sport 1 1130, Napoli v Fiorentina – BT Sport 1 1400, Roma v Salernitana – BT Sport 1 1700, Torino v AC Milan – BT Sport 1 1945; LaLiga, Osasuna v Alaves – LaLiga TV 1300, Espanyol v Celta Vigo – LaLiga TV 1515, Elche v Real Sociedad – LaLiga TV 1730, Levante v Barcelona – Premier Sports 1 and LaLiga TV 2000; Ligue 1, Bordeaux v Metz – BT Sport 2 1200, Monaco v Troyes – BT Sport/ESPN 1400, Lens v Nice – BT Sport/ESPN 1600, Marseille v Montpellier – BT Sport 3 1945.
CRICKET: Second Test, South Africa v Bangladesh – Sky Sports Cricket 0830.
MOTOR CYCLING: World Superbikes, Pirelli Aragon superpole race – Eurosport 2 0930, Race two – Eurosport 2 1115; MotoGP, Grand Prix of The Americas – BT Sport 2 1830.