Editors' Picks: Football season gets underway and huge Rugby Championship clash

Check out our editors' picks ahead of this weekend's action:

Saturday, August 17th

New Zealand vs Argentina - 09:05 CET 

A week on from Argentina’s monumental 38-30 victory over the All Blacks in Wellington, the two sides prepare to lock horns once again at Eden Park on Saturday morning. 

New Zealand will be determined to avenge that shock defeat, and head coach Scott Robertson has responded by making four changes to his starting line-up, including the return of try-scoring sensation Will Jordan on the wing.

Having registered just their third-ever win against the All Blacks, Argentina travel to Auckland full of confidence as they chase an unprecedented double on New Zealand soil. 

Keen to carry their momentum into Saturday’s contest, Felipe Contepomi has named a largely unchanged side, although hooker Julien Montoya returns to the starting line-up to captain the Pumas. 

It remains to be seen whether Argentina can repeat their Wellington heroics, but with the All Blacks baying for blood, it promises to be an explosive encounter either way. 

Danny Clark

Brest vs Marseille - 13:30 CET 

Ligue 1 returns this weekend and the game which immediately jumps out to us is last season’s surprise package Brest against a Marseille side under new manager Roberto De Zerbi. It is a match-up that would have been given little attention at the start of last season but at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign, it is one not to miss. 

In the Brest corner, you have one of the most exciting teams in Ligue 1 and despite having a very similar squad to last season, that comes with positives. This team was building something in the 2023/24 season and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history. 

Under manager Eric Roy, Brest are the best-ever version of themselves and despite being from a small port city in Brittany with limited funds, they have brought excitement and positivity back to their supporters. 

In the Marseille corner you have a manager in De Zerbi whose style of football made a big impression in his first season at Brighton and their sixth-place finish was a monumental milestone moment for the club.

His reputation was sky-high and whilst last season that reputation regressed as Brighton struggled, he is still an elite manager.  

Marseille have splashed almost 85 million Euros in a productive summer window which includes the signings of Pierre-Emile Hojberg, Mason Greenwood and Elye Wahi.

Two clubs with fascinating seasons ahead will both be desperate to get off to a winning start in this must-watch season opener. 

Harry Dunnett

West Ham vs Aston Villa - 18:30 CET

The Premier League is back for its 32nd season and on its first day of full action, it has served up an evening treat.

After achieving a quite incredible fourth place in their last campaign seeing them into the Champions League for the first time, Aston Villa will be starting their season on a high. They travel to the London Stadium - still the most unimaginative stadium name in the league - to take on a rejuvenated West Ham.

They have changed managers, replacing David Moyes with Julen Lopetegui, and they have backed their new Spanish coach in the transfer window. The Hammers have signed seven players including the exciting Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United and the battering ram of a forward in Nicolas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund.

With this new lineup, the East London side will be thinking a win against Villa - something they have not done in their last three meetings - is on the cards, but under Unai Emery, and with a host of new players, the Birmingham club will not be too easily deterred.

Expect two teams to play on the front foot, with some attacking football and expect goals too. This will be a tasty clash and one surely not to be missed.

Josh Donaldson

Sunday, August 18th

FedEx St. Jude Championship Final Round

When the FedEx Cup Playoffs arrive, you know the business end of the golf season has really arrived. And up first is the St. Jude Championship, which sees the top 70 players in 2024 compete for the title, but also a spot at the BMW Championship in Denver next week, where only the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings will qualify.

Players' performances over the year will determine where they sit in the standings and will give them an advantage in the final tournament of the year in a few weeks time, the Tour Championship, where the world's top 30 players will compete.

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has had a remarkable year, winning six PGA titles as well as picking up the Gold medal at the Olympic Games. He sits atop the FedEx Cup standings this week.

Xander Schauffle is on his tail, after he won the first two majors of his career in 2024. Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark round out the top five.

Last year's champion Viktor Hovland has struggled for his best form this year, and is way down in 57th. He will have some work to do if he would like to extend his season on the PGA Tour.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are where the world's best players face off, so you will not want to miss out on heavyweight gold with plenty of permutations.

Take a look at the current leaderboard at the FedEx St. Jude Championship

Tolga Akdeniz