Friday, November 14, 2008

This Weekend on BBC Sport

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RAY FRENCH AT THE RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP
England face New Zealand in the World Cup semi-finals on Saturday, and Tony Smith's side will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last weekend's 36-24 defeat to the Kiwis.

England's defending in that game was atrocious, there's no other word for it. After 28 minutes England were leading 24-8. That is a winning score.

Their subsequent collapse was down to complacency and the wrong attitude. England just held their hands up and allowed New Zealand to walk all over them, and you can't do that in international rugby.

I think the physicality of the game out here has come as a bit of a shock to some members of the England team. I think a lot of them believed the hype about how good a side they were.

There are a lot of good players who put in top performances week in, week out in Super League. But they've learned that standards here are higher.

On Saturday England will have to attack, they've got to take on the Kiwi pack. You can't score tries and you can't get the territorial advantage unless you take their pack on and England need some very strong running from the forwards, particularly from Jamie Peacock, Adrian Morley and James Graham.

I expect hookers James Roby and Mickey Higham to play, and I think they can play a key role. They've played well out here and are two players you would exonerate from any blame for England's defeats.

They've shown that England have the players to take New Zealand and Australia by surprise, and it's through them England can make inroads into this Kiwi side.

In Sunday's semi-final, Australia take on Fiji. The hosts are of course massive favourites. It will probably be a walk over, it could be a record score, but that doesn't matter.

I think it is a wonderful advert for World Cup rugby that a team like Fiji, who have battled and played good rugby, can be challenging Australia in Sydney for a place in the World Cup final.

Ray French will be commentating on BBC TV's coverage of England v New Zealand.

Ray was speaking to Paul Atherton

THIS WEEKEND ON BBC SPORT
 All the TV and radio times

RUGBY LEAGUE
 bbc.co.uk/rugbyleague

Saturday
World Cup semi-final: England v New Zealand - commentary (0855-1055, BBC Radio 5 Live/online); highlights (1300-1400, BBC One/online); highlights loop (1400 Saturday-1500 Sunday, BBC Red Button/online).

Sunday
World Cup semi-final: Australia v Fiji - highlights (1500-1600, BBC Two/online); highlights loop (1600 Sunday-0830 next Saturday, BBC Red Button/online).

FOOTBALL
 bbc.co.uk/football

Saturday
Football Focus (1210, BBC One/online); Premier League commentaries (1245, 1600 & 1730, BBC Radio 5 Live/online; 1450, BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online); Final Score (1430, BBC Red Button/online; 1630, BBC One/online); Match of the Day (2200, BBC One/online).

Sunday
Match of the Day repeat (0735, BBC One/online); Premier League commentary (1330 & 1600, BBC Radio 5 Live/online); Match of the Day 2 (2200, BBC Two/online).

RUGBY UNION
 bbc.co.uk/rugbyunion

Saturday
Scotland v South Africa - live (1400-1630, BBC One/online); Scotland v South Africa - highlights (1630 Saturday-1300 Sunday, BBC Red Button/online); Ireland v New Zealand - live (1655-1905, BBC Two/BBC Red Button/Radio 5 Live sports extra/online); Ireland v New Zealand - highlights (1905 Saturday-1145 Monday, BBC Red Button/online); England v Australia - commentary (1430-1615, BBC Radio 5 Live/online); England v Australia - highlights (1905-2005, BBC Three and 2010 Saturday-1145 Monday, BBC Red Button/online).

Sunday
Scotland v South Africa - highlights (0000-1300, BBC Red Button/online); Ireland v New Zealand - highlights (0000-1145 Monday, BBC Red Button/online); England v Australia highlights (0000-0600 Monday, BBC Red Button/online and 1600-1700, BBC Two/online).

OTHER SPORT
 bbc.co.uk/othersport

Saturday
Tennis: Masters Cup (0900-1400, BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online); Bowls: International Scottish Open (1400-1700, BBC Two Scotland/BBC Red Button/online); Boxing: David Haye v Monte Barratt (2330, BBC Radio 5 Live/online).

Sunday
Tennis: Masters Cup final (0800-1030, BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online); Boxing: European Amateur Championships - highlights (1400-1500, BBC Two).

...AND ON THE WEBSITE THIS WEEK
 bbc.co.uk/sport

Jonathan Agnew column
 BBC expert on India v England ODI series

Lawro's Premier League predictions
 Mark Lawrenson's verdict on the weekend's games

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