5 Sports Events to Watch This Year
Sports fans are in for a treat during the remainder of the year, with the upcoming calendar packed with a host of top-class events.
Rugby union, football and horse racing are among the sports staging major events which are guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
With that in mind, read on as we take a look at what’s in store during the rest of 2023, starting with a competition that will attract plenty of interest in the Exeter region.
Rugby Union – Champions Cup
While things have not gone to plan for Exeter Chiefs in Gallagher Premiership Rugby this season, it has been a completely different story in Europe.
The West Country outfit have stormed to the semi-finals of the Champions Cup, making a mockery of their inconsistent league form.
They will now face French side La Rochelle in the last four at the end of April, with the winners meeting either Leinster or Toulouse in the final.
La Rochelle won the tournament in 2021/22 and are flying high in their domestic league, but Exeter will believe they can see off their challenge.
Football - Champions League
Manchester City remain on course to win the Champions League for the first time in their history after beating Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the competition.
The Premier League side are now odds-on favourites with bookmakers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, although their route to the final will not be easy.
City have been drawn against 14-time winners Real Madrid, and the latest football betting odds suggest there will be little to choose between the two sides.
The winners of the tie will meet either AC Milan or Inter Milan in the final on June 10 and would be heavily fancied to defeat their Serie A opponents.
Horse Racing - Royal Ascot
The eyes of the horse racing world will be on Berkshire from June 20-24, with the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting scheduled to take place.
The five-day event is packed with Group 1 action, offering sports bettors the opportunity to wager on the finest flat horses on the planet.
Royal Ascot’s unique blend of pageantry and fashion makes it a true summer highlight in the UK, particularly if the weather is favourable.
Many of the horses that emerge victorious at Royal Ascot go on to run in major events later in the season, including British Champions Day and the Breeders’ Cup.
Rugby Union - World Cup
Attention switches back to rugby union during September and October as the tenth edition of the World Cup is staged in France.
Just four teams have lifted the trophy since the tournament was first played in 1987 – New Zealand (3), South Africa (3), Australia (2) and England (1).
France have been heavily backed to muscle in on the action this year, with home advantage likely to make them extremely tough to beat.
It is difficult to imagine England getting their hands on the trophy following their disappointing performances in the recent Six Nations tournament, but stranger things have happened in sport.
Golf - Ryder Cup
Golf will battle with rugby union for the sporting headlines in autumn as the 44th edition of the Ryder Cup takes place in Italy between September 29 and October 1.
The United States romped to an emphatic 19-9 victory over Team Europe in 2021 and the latter will be gunning for revenge this time around.
The Europeans have not been beaten at home for 30 years and playing in front of a passionate Italian crowd could swing things in their favour.
Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was on the winning side in all four of his appearances as a player and will hope his expertise rubs off on this year’s team.
