Friday, August 28, 2009

This Weekend on BBC Sport

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DAVE WOODS ON THE CHALLENGE CUP FINAL
May 1974 was the first time I ever went to a Challenge Cup final at Wembley.

As rugby league nuts, my dad and I had escaped from a family holiday in Weston-Super-Mare to jump on a train to London.

I was seven years old and we'd gone as neutrals, but I have a vivid memory of rattling along on an underground train when a bloke from Warrington asked me who I was supporting.

"Not bothered," I told him, so he gave me a primrose and blue rosette and 50p, a fortune back then, and I became a Warrington fan for the day.

I don't remember much about the match, but can clearly recall the giddy, breathless feeling of walking up to the back of the terraces and just being overcome by the sheer size and noise of the stadium.

That was it. Challenge Cup day has been the most important in the calendar ever since.

Even as a kid I would have preferred you'd cancelled Christmas before you'd cancelled that annual day out with my dad to the exotic, far off rugby league ground with its great big family of fans from every different club.

It would take a pundit of immense courage to claim to know how this Carnegie Challenge Cup final between Huddersfield and Warrington will play out.

It's wide open and every outcome is possible.

There is no secret to the fact that Warrington have been inconsistent this season, the league table is evidence of that. Yet when Tony Smith's side bring there 'A' game to an occasion they can overrun anyone.

But Warrington will have to be good, because Huddersfield are also an exceptional side.

The Giants are ace defenders; they have the stingiest defence in Super League, just one of the areas in which new coach Nathan Brown's influence has been obvious.

Dave Woods commentates on the BBC's coverage of the Challenge Cup final on Saturday.

THIS WEEKEND ON BBC SPORT
 All the TV and radio times

RUGBY LEAGUE
 bbc.co.uk/rugbyleague

Saturday
Challenge Cup final: Huddersfield v Warrington (1410-1630, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online).

FOOTBALL
 bbc.co.uk/football

Saturday
Football Focus (1130, BBC One/online); Final Score (1430, BBC Red Button/online; 1630, BBC One/online); Premier League commentaries (1245, 1500 & 1715, BBC Radio 5 live/online); Match of the Day (2230, BBC One/online); The Football League Show (2350, BBC One/online).

Sunday
Match of the Day repeat (0740, BBC One/online); Premier League commentaries (1500 & 1645, BBC Radio 5 live/online); Match of the Day 2 (2245, BBC Two/online).

FORMULA ONE
 bbc.co.uk/formula1

Saturday
Belgium Grand Prix: Third practice (0955-1105, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online); Qualifying (1210-1410, BBC One/BBC Red Button/online/Radio 5 Live).

Sunday
Belgium Grand Prix: Race (1210-1505 BBC One/BBC Red Button/online/Radio 5 Live); Interactive forum: 1505-1605, BBC Red Button/online); Highlights (1900-1945, BBC Three/online); Highlights repeat (0135-0220, BBC Three/online).

OTHER SPORT
 bbc.co.uk/othersport

Saturday
Rowing: World Championships (0900-1230, BBC Red Button/online; 1400-1530, BBC Two/online); MotoGP: Indianapolis GP qualifying (1800-2100, BBC Red Button/online); Equestrian: European Show Jumping and Dressage Championships (1940-2200, BBC Red Button/online).

Sunday
Rowing: World Championships (1015-1230, BBC Red Button/online; 1500-1615, BBC Two/online); Equestrian: European Show Jumping and Dressage Championships (1615-1735, BBC Two/online); MotoGP: Indianapolis GP (125cc and 250cc races: 1650-1805, BBC Red Button/online; main race: 1945-2100, BBC Three/online; repeat: 0220-0335, BBC Three).

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

Murray's mission
 Mark Petchey on Andy Murray's US Open chances

US Open on the BBC
 Latest news and features from Flushing Meadows

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