Reuters Sports Schedule at 0615 GMT on Thursday, Oct 6

Reuters sports schedule at 0615 GMT on Thursday (times GMT): SOCCER 2018 World Cup qualifiers We continue our build-up to this week's World Cup qualifiers with player and manager news conferences plus all the latest team news. (SOCCER-WORLDCUP/) Asia South Koreans eye improvement after Syria stalemate South Korea, held to a surprise 0-0 draw with Syria in their last Group A game, bid to get their qualifying campaign back on track with a home tie against Qatar in Suwon. (SOCCER-WORLDCUP-KOR-QAT/ (PIX) expect by 1500 GMT/11 AM ET, 350 words) Japan manager Vahid Halilhodzic hopes his players will channel the pressure of expectation in a positive way when they host Iraq in a crunch World Cup qualifier. (SOCCER-WORLDCUP-JPN-IRQ/ expect by 1500 GMT/11 AM ET, 350 words) South America Brazil aim for third consecutive win in South American group SAO PAULO - Brazil coach Tite looks to build on a good start in his first two games in charge with a third consecutive win against a Bolivia side that hasn't won a qualifier away from home since 1993. (SOCCER-WORLDCUP-BRA-BOL/ (PIX), expect by 0500 GMT/1:00 AM ET, by Andrew Downie, 300 words) Argentina have to make do without injured Messi away to Peru LIMA - Juventus forward Paulo Dubala looks set to take on the injured Lionel Messi's role in an Argentina side that also includes Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria away to Peru at the halfway point in the South American qualifiers for Russia 2018. (SOCCER-WORLDCUP-PER-ARG/, (PIX), expect by 0630 GMT/2:30 AM ET (Friday), 300 words) English Premier League We bring you the latest news as well manager and player briefings from the Premier League. (SOCCER-ENGLAND-CLUB/ expect throughout, 300 words) I regret leaving Arsenal, says Hleb MOSCOW - Former Belarus midfielder Alexander Hleb has told Reuters that he regrets leaving Arsenal in 2008 and says the London club are capable of landing the treble this season. (SOCCER-ENGLAND-ARS/HLEB (INTERVIEW), expect by 1130 GMT/7:30 AM ET, by Dmitriy Rogovitskiy, 700 words) MOTOR RACING Japanese Formula One Grand Prix Honda hoping for happier homecoming SUZUKA, Japan - Honda, engine suppliers to former world champions McLaren, are expecting a happier homecoming than last year in Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix. (MOTOR-F1-JAPAN/HONDA (INTERVIEW), moved, by Abhishek Takle, 550 words) We will also have stories from around the paddock. TENNIS China Open, Beijing Nadal faces Mannarino, Raonic takes on Jaziri Men's world number four Rafa Nadal faces French qualifier Adrian Mannarino while third seed Milos Raonic of Canada takes on Tunisia's Malek Jaziri in the second round. (TENNIS-OPEN/CHINA-MEN, expect by 1630 GMT/12:30 PM ET, 300 words) Kerber faces Svitolina, Radwanska takes on Wozniacki Women's world number one Angelique Kerber of Germany takes on Ukrainian Elina Svitolina while third-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska meets Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki in the third round. (TENNIS-OPEN/CHINA-WOMEN, expect by 1530 GMT/11:30 AM ET, 300 words) RUGBY Rugby Championship (round six) All Blacks go for clean sweep amid Smith scandal DURBAN - New Zealand seek a clean sweep in this year's tournament with a victory over South Africa on Saturday in a week when scrumhalf Aaron Smith was sent home in disgrace. (RUGBY UNION-CHAMPIONSHIP/SAFRICA (PREVIEW), expect by 1500 GMT/11 AM ET, by Nick Said, 400 words) We will also move a factbox (RUGBY UNION-CHAMPIONSHIP/SAFRICA (FACTBOX) Coetzee seeks right formula to defeat All Blacks DURBAN - South Africa coach Allister Coetzee names his team to meet New Zealand, with few changes expected after they beat Australia last weekend. (RUGBY UNION-CHAMPIONSHIP/SAFRICA-TEAM, expect by 1230 GMT/8:30 AM ET, 300 words) Smith tryst overshadows All Blacks squad naming Scrumhalf Aaron Smith's suspension for a tryst with a woman in an airport toilet overshadowed the naming of coach Steve Hansen's side for the All Blacks' final Rugby Championship clash with South Africa in Durban. (RUGBY UNION-CHAMPIONSHIP/NEWZEALAND-TEAM, moved, 400 words) Pumas meet Wallabies in repeat of 2015 World Cup semi-final LONDON - Australia will have an eye on England and Argentina on avoiding the Rugby Championship wooden spoon when they meet for the second time in a year at Twickenham in a rerun of their 2015 World Cup semi-final on Saturday. (RUGBY UNION-CHAMPIONSHIP/ARGENTINA (PREVIEW), expect by 1830 GMT/14:30 PM ET, 400 words) We will also file a match factbox: RUGBY UNION- CHAMPIONSHIP/ARGENTINA (FACTBOX) (Asia duty editor: Greg Stutchbury)