This Sporting Life - 11 March 2011

Another week; another Friday; another weekend of sport to look forward to. There's been a decidedly autumnal feeling in the air this week, and the golden days of summer seem to be behind us as we reach the silly season where summer sports give way to their winter brethren.

The ICC World Cup continues. Sri Lanka demolished Zimbabwe overnight to guarantee a quarter-final place, whilst the Black Caps will be looking for another convincing performance against Canada on Sunday to join them. The New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match next Friday now shapes as hugely important to determine final group placings, and it seems likely that Dan Vettori will be back; his knee injury is not as bad as first feared.

Super Rugby continues this weekend, and our beloved Hurricanes have a chance to start the season all over again when the play the Chiefs. It's already a must-win match for both teams. The Crusaders should be too good for the Brumbies, who will soon be running out of people to sack, and who might have to start looking it their playing roster! We reckon that the Highlanders might struggle in Cape Town against the Stormers, but they have had a fantatstic start to the season, whilst the Blues should end their road-trip with a win in Perth.

And the NRL kicks off this weekend. Betting scandals, drink-driving and punch-ups at McDonalds will be forgotten as the season-proper begins. The mighty Vodafone Warriors are sort-of at home to the Parramata Eels; a crowd of well over 30,000 is expected at Eden Park in what should be a cracking match-up.

What else? The race for the Premiership is heating up and The Scum no longer look invincible; the Brisbane Roar will win the A-League, and Tiger's back this weekend in the WGC event on the infamous Blue Monster course at Doral in Florida.

Have we missed anything? Doubtless, you'll tell us if we have. In the meantime, the floor is yours ...