Football: Premier League

Cast your mind back to 2013/14. If you can – a lot has happened since then. That was the last season when three teams had a realistic chance of winning the Premier League as we headed towards the final few games. Liverpool were in pole position, but Steven Gerrard slipped to allow rivals Chelsea (then featuring Mo Salah in their line-up) to win at Anfield, Crystal Palace came back from 3-0 down to draw with the Reds, and Manchester City claimed the trophy with a final-day victory. The curious thing was that Arsenal spent the most time at the top of the table, but finished fourth.

It’s Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal again this year, and you can see three crucial games for Liverpool on Sky Sports as the team strive to send off the departing Jürgen Klopp with another league title: home to (gulp) Palace, and then away at Fulham and local rivals Everton. There’s a trio of Arsenal matches too as their local derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium follows clashes with Wolves and Nottingham Forest, while the latter also host City. It’s tense. It’s thrilling. It’s unpredictable. It’s the Premier League on Sky Sports.

Bournemouth v Manchester United

Saturday 13 April, 5pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Liverpool v Crystal Palace

Sunday 14 April, 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Arsenal v Aston Villa

Sunday 14 April, 4pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Chelsea v Everton

Monday 15 April, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal

Saturday 20 April, 7pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Everton v Nottingham Forest

Sunday 21 April, 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Fulham v Liverpool

Sunday 21 April, 4pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Everton v Liverpool

Wednesday 24 April, 7pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

Sunday 28 April, 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Nottingham Forest v Manchester City

Sunday 28 April, 4pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Football: Scottish Premiership

Rangers lost three of their first seven games this season, leaving some fans fearing that Celtic were out of sight by the end of September. But they’ve gradually reeled in their great rivals to bring us a thrilling title race. After a tumultuous 3-3 draw in April’s Old Firm game, the Premiership trophy is still up for grabs, and Rangers will be determined not to drop any points when they visit Dundee and Ross County. After the Cup semi-finals on 20 and 21 April, the final, crucial phase of the league season begins.

Dundee v Rangers

Wednesday 10 April, 7pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Ross County v Rangers

Sunday 14 April, 11am, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Final Phase Begins

Wednesday 24 April, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Football: Women’s Super League

Bristol City have won admirers for their attacking tactics this season, which has seen them outscore the teams above them, with striker Amelie Thestrup among the WSL’s top scorers. Unfortunately their defensive prowess hasn’t matched the forwards’ success, and the promoted club look likely to head back to the Championship. The last thing they need at this point is a trip to League Cup winners Arsenal, who’ll be desperate for three points to keep their slim title hopes alive.

The Robins also have to face title contenders Chelsea and Man City as they strive to maintain their WSL status. Defending champs Chelsea will want to keep the pressure on rivals Man City with a midweek win at home to Villa, and there are more key games live on Sky Sports ahead of the season’s final day on 18 May.

Arsenal v Bristol City

Sunday 14 April, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Chelsea v Aston Villa

Wednesday 17 April, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Bristol City v Manchester City

Sunday 28 April, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Liverpool v Chelsea

Wednesday 1 May, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Everton v Tottenham Hotspur

Saturday 4 May, 12pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502) 

Chelsea v Bristol City

Sunday 5 May, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Football: EFL Championship

And you thought the Premier League was exciting. Ipswich, Leicester and Leeds are locked together in a similar three-way battle, this one featuring late winners (mainly Ipswich), a three-month unbeaten run (Leeds), an inexplicable loss of form after leading from the front (Leicester), an imperious 6-0 win (Ipswich) and a charge for allegedly breaching profit and sustainability rules (Leicester) – and that’s just in the past few months. There are just two automatic promotion places, and a play-off slot isn’t much of a consolation prize, so don’t miss the trio in action on Sky Sports this month. It’s going to be seriously exciting.

And so is the battle to avoid relegation, with almost half the division still vulnerable to being sucked down into the bottom three. The likes of Blackburn, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday all feature on Sky Sports this month ahead of the final-day full programme, so tune in for a different kind of tension.

Leeds United v Sunderland

Tuesday 9 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Millwall v Leicester City

Tuesday 9 April, 7.40pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Plymouth Argyle v Queens Park Rangers

Tuesday 9 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Preston North End v Huddersfield Town

Tuesday 9 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Sheffield Wednesday v Norwich City

Tuesday 9 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Southampton v Coventry City

Tuesday 9 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Swansea City v Stoke City

Wednesday 10 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Birmingham City v Cardiff City

Wednesday 10 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Bristol City v Blackburn Rovers

Wednesday 10 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Hull City v Middlesbrough

Wednesday 10 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Ipswich Town v Watford

Wednesday 10 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

West Bromwich Albion v Rotherham United

Wednesday 10 April, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Red Button

Plymouth Argyle v Leicester City

Friday 12 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Leeds United v Blackburn Rovers

Saturday 13 April, 12pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Southampton v Preston North End

Tuesday 16 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion

Saturday 20 April, 12pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Queens Park Rangers v Preston North End

Saturday 20 April, 5pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday

Sunday 21 April, 12pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Middlesbrough v Leeds United

Monday 22 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Leicester City v Southampton

Tuesday 23 April, 7pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Queens Park Rangers v Leeds United

Friday 26 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Hull City v Ipswich Town

Saturday 27 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Coventry City v Ipswich Town

Tuesday 30 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Final Day

Saturday 4 May, 12pm, Sky Sports

Football: EFL Play-offs

Who will be moving on up at the end of the campaign? With four clubs from each of Leagues One and Two going into the play-offs, the competition will stay fierce till the season’s conclusion. Peterborough and Barnsley, who missed out in last season’s League One play-offs, look certain to be competing again, while the likes of Crawley and Crewe are gunning for spots in League Two.

League One Play-off Semi-final, 1st Leg

Friday 3 May, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

League One Play-off Semi-final, 1st Leg

Saturday 4 May, 7pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

League Two Play-off Semi-final, 1st Leg

Bank Holiday Monday, 2.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

League Two Play-off Semi-final, 1st Leg

Bank Holiday Monday, 5pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

League One Play-off Semi-final, 2nd Leg

Tuesday 7 May, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

League One Play-off Semi-final, 2nd Leg

Wednesday 8 May, 7pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

League Two Play-off Semi-final, 2nd Leg

Thursday 9 May, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

League Two Play-off Semi-final, 2nd Leg

Friday 10 May, 7pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Football: Scottish Women’s Premier League

Glasgow City have won the SWPL every year it’s been contested since 2007/8, except for 2021/22, when Rangers pipped them. At the time of writing the perennial champs have just lost to Celtic and are sitting third behind their Glasgow rivals, but a win at Rangers on 14 April might swing the momentum back towards Leanne Ross’s side. There could be plenty of twists and turns in the title race before and after the Old Firm game on 6 May, with the final round of games on 19 May.

Rangers v Glasgow City

Sunday 14 April, 2.45pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Rangers v Celtic

Bank Holiday Monday, 11.30am, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Football: Bundesliga

What’s that word for taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others? Something German, is it? Well, whatever it is, there’s been plenty of it directed at Harry Kane this season. After a trophyless decade at Tottenham, a move to Bayern (11 consecutive titles) seemed as close to a guarantee as he could get. What were the chances that an underachieving club who have never won the Bundesliga would have one of the all-time great seasons?

Let’s not let Bayern’s travails overshadow Leverkusen’s achievements: they’re unbeaten in all competitions including the Europa League (at the time of writing), and with second-division Kaiserslautern their opponents in the upcoming German Cup final, they’re odds-on for the domestic double. Coach Xabi Alonso has clearly captured lightning in a bottle. All they need is a win at home to Werder Bremen to secure a triumphant title victory, and if that somehow doesn’t happen, their next game (away to Dortmund) is live on Sky Sports too.

Augsburg v Union Berlin

Friday 12 April, 7.20pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Stuttgart v Eintracht Frankfurt

Saturday 13 April, 5.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Darmstadt v Freiburg

Sunday 14 April, 2.30pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Bayer Leverkusen v Werder Bremen

Sunday 14 April, 4.30pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Eintracht Frankfurt v Augsburg

Friday 19 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Union Berlin v Bayern Munich

Saturday 20 April, 5.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Werder Bremen v Stuttgart

Sunday 21 April, 2.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen

Sunday 21 April, 4.20pm, Sky Sports Football/HD (CH 513/503)

Freiburg v Mainz

Sunday 21 April, 6.20pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Motorsport: Formula One

Max Verstappen qualified in his customary pole position in Australia – but within minutes of the start he was out, stymied by braking problems in his Red Bull car. That allowed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to claim the win, giving drivers and teams alike a boost and the hope that this season won’t be another procession. Although the Dutchman did return to winning ways in Japan.

This month, the F1 season visits Shanghai for the first time since 2019, before heading to Florida – with every turn, pit stop and daring overtaking move live on Sky Sports.

Chinese Grand Prix: Practice

Friday 19 April, 4.30am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Chinese Grand Prix: Sprint Shoot-out

Friday 19 April, 8.30am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Chinese Grand Prix: Sprint Race

Saturday 20 April, 3am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Chinese Grand Prix: Qualifying

Saturday 20 April, 8am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Chinese Grand Prix: Race

Sunday 21 April, 7am, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Miami Grand Prix: Practice

Friday 3 May, 5.30pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Miami Grand Prix: Sprint Shoot-out

Friday 3 May, 9.30pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Miami Grand Prix: Sprint Race

Saturday 4 May, 4pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Miami Grand Prix: Qualifying

Saturday 4 May, 9pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Miami Grand Prix: Race

Sunday 5 May, 8pm, Sky Sports F1^®/HD (CH 516/506)

Golf

The hallowed greens of Augusta are calling. The Masters may not be golf’s most venerable tournament but it’s arguably the most prestigious, and all the world’s top golfers dream of joining the green-jacketed ranks of the winners. Spain’s Jon Rahm did so last year and he’ll be joined in the 2024 field by former champs Scott Scheffler, Hideki Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson, Danny Willett and more – including Tiger Woods, who hasn’t finished in the top 20 of a major since winning here in 2019.

The top-ranked British players competing are Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick (the 2022 US Open winner) and Tommy Fleetwood. Expect a high-quality tournament.

There’s plenty more action from the various tours following the Masters, with the PGA Tour heading south for events in South Carolina and Louisiana, and the LET in South Africa for two tournaments.

The Masters

From Thursday 11 April, 2pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

PGA Tour: RBC Heritage

From Thursday 18 April, 12.15pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

LPGA Tour: Chevron Championship

From Thursday 18 April, 3pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

LET: Johannesburg Open

From Saturday 20 April, 1pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

European Tour: Handa Championship

From Thursday 25 April, 4am, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

LET: South African Open

From Thursday 25 April, 12pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505) + Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

PGA Tour: New Orleans Classic

From Thursday 25 April, 4pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

LPGA Tour: Los Angeles Championship

From Thursday 25 April, 11.30pm, Sky Sports Golf/HD (CH 515/505)

Darts: Premier League

This year’s Premier League has properly ebbed and flowed. Since winning nights two to four, Michael van Gerwen has failed to win another event and fallen off top spot; Luke Humphries has taken advantage, triumphing in the sixth, seventh and eighth weeks to claim first place in the table. The most consistent performer? You guessed it – 17-year-old Luke Littler, who’s progressed to the semi-finals more times than anyone else and, after back-to-back wins, looks well set for a place in the play-offs on his first appearance in the competition. Who will join him there? Tune in every Thursday to find out, starting at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena.

Week 11: Birmingham

Thursday 11 April, 7pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Week 12: Rotterdam

Thursday 18 April, 7pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Week 13: Liverpool

Thursday 25 April, 7pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Week 14: Aberdeen

Thursday 2 May, 7pm, Sky Sports

Cricket: Indian Premier League

In 2023, Gujarat Titans topped the table, although it was Chennai Super Kings who triumphed in the final. But Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders got off to the best starts this season, both winning their opening three games, including Kolkata’s thumping 106-run win over Delhi. The Knight Riders racked up a massive 272 runs in that game – but even that didn’t match Sunrisers Hyderabad’s record-breaking total of 277-3 in their victory over Mumbai, with Heinrich Klassen pillaging 80 from just 34 balls. Basically it’s been a phenomenal IPL tournament so far and we’re delighted there’s plenty more action to come – the final isn’t till 26 May.

Punjab Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Tuesday 9 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Rajasthan Royals v Gujarat Titans

Wednesday 10 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore

Thursday 11 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Lucknow Super Giants v Delhi Capitals

Friday 12 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Punjab Kings v Rajasthan Royals

Saturday 13 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants

Sunday 14 April, 10.50am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings

Sunday 14 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Monday 15 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Gujarat Titans v Delhi Capitals

Tuesday 16 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals

Wednesday 17 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians

Thursday 18 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Lucknow Super Giants v Chennai Super Kings

Friday 19 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Delhi Capitals v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Saturday 20 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bangalore

Sunday 21 April, 10.50am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Punjab Kings v Gujarat Titans

Sunday 21 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians

Monday 22 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Chennai Super Kings v Lucknow Super Giants

Tuesday 23 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Delhi Capitals v Gujarat Titans

Wednesday 24 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore

Thursday 25 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Kolkata Knight Riders v Punjab Kings

Friday 26 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Delhi Capitals v Mumbai Indians

Saturday 27 April, 10.50am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Lucknow Super Giants v Rajasthan Royals

Saturday 27 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Gujarat Titans v Royal Challengers Bangalore

Sunday 28 April, 10.50am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Chennai Super Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunday 28 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Capitals

Monday 29 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Lucknow Super Giants v Mumbai Indians

Tuesday 30 April, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Chennai Super Kings v Punjab Kings

Wednesday 1 May, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals

Thursday 2 May, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders

Friday 3 May, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Titans

Saturday 4 May, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Punjab Kings v Chennai Super Kings

Sunday 5 May, 10.50am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Lucknow Super Giants v Kolkata Knight Riders

Sunday 5 May, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Bank Holiday Monday, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Delhi Capitals v Rajasthan Royals

Tuesday 7 May, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Lucknow Super Giants

Wednesday 8 May, 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

Rugby League: Super League XXIX

Wigan are already making a good fist of their Super League championship defence, with Liam Marshall and Bevan French running in tries for fun, and Adam Keighran proving ultra-reliable with his kicking. But St Helens and Catalans Dragons have kept pace with them in the early stages, with the Saints scoring a crucial 12-4 derby victory over the Warriors on Good Friday; Catalans have continued the excellent form that secured them second place in the table in 2023, with Arthur Mourgue once again among the leading points scorers.

Get stuck in to Sky Sports’ comprehensive coverage this month, including Wigan’s tricky trip to Hull on 26 April.

Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants

Friday 19 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

St Helens v Hull FC

Friday 19 April, 7.55pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Wigan Warriors v Castleford Tigers

Friday 19 April, 7.55pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Warrington Wolves v Leigh Leopards

Saturday 20 April, 2.30pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

London Broncos v Salford Red Devils

Saturday 20 April, 2.55pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Catalans Dragons v Hull Kingston Rovers

Saturday 20 April, 5.25pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

St Helens v Huddersfield Giants

Thursday 25 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Hull Kingston Rovers v Wigan Warriors

Friday 26 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Leigh Leopards v Catalans Dragons

Friday 26 April, 7.55pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Castleford Tigers v London Broncos

Friday 26 April, 7.55pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Salford Red Devils v Warrington Wolves

Saturday 27 April, 2.55pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos

Sunday 28 April, 2.55pm, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Wigan Warriors v Catalans Dragons

Thursday 2 May, 7.30pm, Sky Sports

Warrington Wolves v Hull FC

Friday 3 May, 7.30pm, Sky Sports

Huddersfield Giants v Salford Red Devils

Friday 3 May, 7.55pm, Sky Sports

Leeds Rhinos v London Broncos

Friday 3 May, 7.55pm, Sky Sports

Hull Kingston Rovers v St Helens

Saturday 4 May, 2.55pm, Sky Sports

Leigh Leopards v Castleford Tigers

Saturday 4 May, 5.25pm, Sky Sports

Rugby League: NRL Men’s

North Queensland are the team to follow if you want entertainment – the Townsville team had both scored and conceded triple figures by the end of the fourth round of fixtures, with victories over the Dolphins, Knights and Dragons taking them into the top eight. The Cowboys missed out on the 2023 finals despite a strong display in the second half of the season including six consecutive wins, so they’ll be determined to stay there this year.

Check out their games against Parramatta and champs Penrith on Sky Sports this month. Melbourne, the early league leaders, are in action against the Roosters and Rabbitohs.

Brisbane Broncos v Redcliffe Dolphins

Friday 12 April, 11am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Parramatta Eels v North Queensland Cowboys

Saturday 13 April, 8.30am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

South Sydney Rabbitohs v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Saturday 13 April, 10.35am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm

Thursday 18 April, 10.50am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Gold Coast Titans v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Saturday 20 April, 8.30am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Brisbane Broncos v Canberra Raiders

Saturday 20 April, 10.35am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Melbourne Storm v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Thursday 25 April, 10.50am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers

Saturday 27 April, 10.35am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Canberra Raiders v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Sunday 28 April, 7.05am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Rugby Union: Super Rugby

If you include the regional titles in 2020 and 2021, when travel restrictions meant full Super Rugby seasons weren’t possible, Crusaders have been champions seven years in a row. So the big question is: what on Earth is going on at Crusaders? The Christchurch side lost their first five games including a 26-6 walloping by the Blues, leaving them rock bottom. They finally managed a win over the Chiefs in round six, but surely a successful defence of their long-held title is now out of reach.

It seems the departure of coach Scott Robertson hit them hard, and the pressure is already on his replacement Rob Penney. You can see how they get on against the Waratahs, Force (also striving to stay out of the league’s basement) and Rebels this month. Not surprisingly it’s two other NZ teams, the Blues and Hurricanes, who have taken advantage and established themselves at the top of the table, and they’re in action live on Sky Sports too.

Moana Pasifika v Reds

Friday 12 April, 8am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Waratahs v Crusaders

Friday 12 April, 10.30am, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Hurricanes v Chiefs

Saturday 13 April, 8am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Rebels v Highlanders

Saturday 13 April, 10.30am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Fijian Drua v Hurricanes

Friday 19 April, 8am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Reds v Highlanders

Friday 19 April, 10.30am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Blues v Brumbies

Saturday 20 April, 8am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Force v Crusaders

Saturday 20 April, 10.30am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Crusaders v Rebels

Friday 26 April, 8am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Waratahs v Chiefs

Friday 26 April, 10.30am, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Fijian Drua v Moana Pasifika

Saturday 27 April, 3am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Brumbies v Hurricanes

Saturday 27 April, 5.30am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Highlanders v Force

Saturday 27 April, 8am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Reds v Blues

Saturday 27 April, 10.30am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Rugby Union: Super Rugby Women’s

With just six teams each playing each other once in the league season, there’s not much room for error in the Super Rugby Women’s competition. The Reds and Rebels look out of contention already after early defeats, while the Waratahs and Force have scored some impressive wins – and it was the Waratahs who struck a decisive blow when the two met in Perth with a 45-21 victory.

These two teams will aim to finish in the top two places so they avoid each other ahead of a potential rematch in the final, which is perhaps the contest most fans want to see. However, Fijian Drua will have a big part to play after they moved into second with a win over the Brumbies.

Waratahs v Reds

Friday 12 April, 8am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Brumbies v Force

Saturday 13 April, 5.30am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Semi-final

Friday 19 April, 7am, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Semi-final

Saturday 20 April, Sky Sports

Final

Saturday 27 or Sunday 28 April, Sky Sports

Boxing

Corpus Christi, Texas, is the venue for a pair of heavyweight bouts in mid-April. The unbeaten Jared Anderson takes on Belgian-Ivorian Ryan Merhy over 10 rounds, while in the co-headline fight, it’s Nigeria v Italy as Efe Ajagba faces Guido Vianello. The crowd may be more interested in the night’s opening contest, which sees super middleweight amateur champ and local boy Julian Delgado make his pro debut against Juan Tamez.

The undisputed super bantamweight world title is on the line on 6 May, when unified champion Naoya Unoue and Luis Nery step into the ring at the Tokyo Dome. Yes, that does say 9am, and it should be a great way to kick off your Bank Holiday Monday.

Anderson v Merhy

Ajagba v Vianello

Sunday 14 April, 2am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Inoue v Nery

Bank Holiday Monday, 9am, Sky Sports Action/HD (CH 517/507)

Tennis

World No1 Iga Świątek will be looking to make it a hat-trick of victories at the Stuttgart Open, which marks the start of the WTA’s clay court season. She’ll also get a third Porsche to add to her collection thanks to the car manufacturer’s sponsorship of the event. (Assuming she’s held on to the previous two she won and didn’t eBay them). Rafael Nadal had hoped to compete in the Monte Carlo Masters, a title he’s won 11 times, but was stymied by injury again; Novak Djokovic is expected to be back in action, but Jannik Sinner’s form makes the Italian the favourite.

After that, both the men’s and women’s tours are in Madrid for more clay action. Look out too for coverage of the ATP events in Bucharest, Munich and Barcelona and the WTA tournament in Rouen on Sky Sports Tennis.

ATP: Monte Carlo Masters

Monday 8 to Sunday 14 April, from 10am, Sky Sports Tennis/HD (CH 537/520)

WTA: Stuttgart Open

Monday 15 to Sunday 21 April, form 9am, Sky Sports Tennis/HD (CH 537/520)

ATP/WTA: Madrid Open

Tuesday 23 April to Sunday 5 May, from 10am, Sky Sports Tennis/HD (CH 537/520)

Basketball: BBL

With a handful of regular season games remaining, London Lions have already secured top spot in the BBL table, so the intrigue is all below the leaders as their rivals battle to claim the coveted play-off places (and avoid the Lions once the knockout phase starts on 2 May). The Sharks, Gladiators and Scorchers are among those jockeying for the best positions – and if Surrey could score a win over the Lions it would do their confidence no end of good.

Sheffield Sharks v Caledonia Gladiators

Friday 12 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

London Lions v Surrey Scorchers

Thursday 18 April, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508) + Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Pool: World Masters

One of the elite events in nine-ball pool takes place in Germany for the first time in 2024: it’s being staged in Hildesheim’s Halle39 venue over four days at the end of April. Taiwan’s Ko Pin-yi is the defending champ, having won his first title in Essex last year, and the world’s top 16 will be battling for their share of the $125,000 prize fund live on Sky Sports.

Day 1

Thursday 25 April, 5pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Day 2

Friday 26 April, 5pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Day 3

Saturday 27 April, 6pm, Sky Sports Mix HD (CH 510)

Day 4

Sunday 28 April, 6pm, Sky Sports Arena/HD (CH 518/508)

Watch on the go

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