Get Your Sporting Fix This Christmas

From a frantic Premier League schedule to the titans of tungsten fighting it out for the biggest prize in darts, here’s what you should be watching this festive season!

 

Let’s Play Darts - PDC World Darts Championship

The Alexandra Palace will once again be filled with shouts of “ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY” as the biggest ever World Championships begins. Some 96 players will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Rob Cross, with an eye watering £500,000 on offer for the man – or woman! – who triumphs on New Year’s Day. It’s one of the brightest and most boisterous events on the sporting calendar; if you’ve not tuned in before, then you’re missing out! From Thursday December 13th on Sky Sports Darts, Virgin TV 406

 

Back of the net – Premier League
By now, a full slate of top tier ties on Stephen’s Day is as traditional as a full plate of dinner the day before – and no less than three ties will be live while you make your way through leftovers. Fulham host Wolves in the first game of the day (12pm), followed by Arsenal’s trip to Brighton at 5pm, while the final helping comes courtesy of the all-London derby between Watford and Chelsea at Vicarage Road. Now that’s a day for the sofa if ever there was one! December 26th from 12.30pm,Sky Sports Premier League, Virgin TV 405

 

Touchdown - NFL Week 16
The battle to reach the Super Bowl reaches a fever pitch over the festive period, with the NFL’s finest fighting it out for those precious play-off places. The likes of the L.A. Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs may be home and hosed already, but both division titles and wildcard berths are still up for grabs. Best of all, the weekend will see an extra football fix on Saturday evening as well as the usual Thursday, Sunday and Monday fare, as the sides chase gridiron glory!

Sports stars to watch in 2019 -From the Six Nations to the UEFA Champions League, these are some of the faces to look out for on Virgin Media Sport (Virgin TV 400) and Virgin Media One (Virgin TV 103) in the year ahead...

 

UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid haven’t had the best of it since Cristiano Ronaldo decided to sling his hook and join Juventus – so the man who’s assumed the iconic No. 7 shirt at the Bernabeu now has even more to prove! Fans are still holding out hope of an incredible fourth consecutive UEFA Champions League title in June, and it would be a true fairy-tale were this fella to play a role in continuing their epic run…

Six Nations
Having served his time at Scarlets – where he collected Man of the Match trophies on a near-weekly basis – the Kildare colossus signed for Munster a few months ago, swiftly inserting himself into Joe Schmidt’s Ireland plans. A versatile player, he can do a job at lock or flanker; wherever he’s selected, expect him to make a huge mark for club and country in the year ahead.

 

UEFA Nations League
The French phenomenon didn’t have a bad 2018, we’re sure you’ll agree; he won the World Cup, garnered worldwide acclaim – and he’s going to turn 20 a few days before Christmas! What a present it would be, though, to continue his rapid rise; a Champions League with PSG might be pushing it for this year, but with the road to Euro 2020 beginning in March there’s another trophy hunt on the horizon!

 

Heineken Champions Cup
OK, so he’s been around the block a few times – but not with the captain’s armband on his sleeve! Assuming the leadership role for Leinster is really just confirming what we already knew; the outh alf is the main man when it comes to Irish rugby. With a Heineken Champions Cup and Six Nations championship to defend, he’s got plenty of work ahead – and that’s before even looking to the second half of the year!