Sam to be a Super hero

SPORTS BETTING:
ONE thing you can guarantee about rugby league is its insistence on hype.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but admiration for the ultra-fit, powerful athletes who turn out in Super League.

But have you noticed, like me, that big games are routinely referred to as “blockbusters.”

And why is a rugby league final a GRAND final? Is a final not big enough?

It doesn’t get any bigger than the World Cup final in football, yet FIFA do not feel it necessary to plonk the word “Grand” before it.

OK, I’m being mischievous here, but do you get my drift? Or are you at one with the Sky Sports pundit who once proclaimed: “Let’s face it, everyone knows rugby league is the best sport in the world.”

On a serious note, there is a rugby league match to get excited about this weekend.

Warrington Wolves take on Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford on Saturday and the former are slight favourites at 5-6.

I fancy Wigan to come out on top at 6-5 and, with star man Sam Tomkins on his way to New Zealand Warriors in a world-record (or as some would say, blockbusting) deal, he will be desperate to make an impact. Back him at 9-2 to be named man-of-the-match.



MANCHESTERS City and United face tough Champions League group games tonight, the former hosting reigning champions Bayern Munich and United away to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Both are juicy prices to win – City at 5-2 and United 21-10 – but the former, in particular, will do well to beat powerful opposition.



THE F1 World Championship is really over as a contest: Sebastian Vettel is so far ahead of his rivals. But the races go on and the latest country to stage one is Korea.

A colleague informs me it is only £30 to attend this race (for which Vettel is 8-11 favourite). That would barely cover the car parking fee at Silverstone.