Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Monday, Feb 9

Reuters

Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Monday: - - - - SOCCER La Liga Elche v Rayo Vallecano (1945) Copy on merit - - Serie A Lazio v Genoa (1945) Copy on merit - - - - ALPINE SKIING World championships (to 15) In-form Maze among favourites for women's super combined BEAVER CREEK, Colorado - Slovenia's Tina Maze continues her bid for a five-medal haul at the world championships as one of the favourites for the women's super combined where American speed queen Lindsey Vonn considers herself a long shot after being denied gold in her best two events. (ALPINE SKIING-WORLDS/WOMEN-COMBINED (PIX), expect by 2300 GMT/6 PM ET, by Steve Keating and Mark Lamport-Stokes, 400 words) - - - - RUGBY Super Rugby season preview Era draws to a close in 2015 Super Rugby season SYDNEY - A World Cup year is always a watershed in rugby but, beyond the usual retirements and departures, the southern hemisphere game will never be the same after 15 teams battle for the 20th Super Rugby title. (RUGBYUNION-SUPER/ (PREVIEW), expect at 0700 GMT/2 AM ET, by Nick Mulvenney, 600 words) - - World Cup looms over New Zealand Super Rugby season WELLINGTON - New Zealand's World Cup defence looms large over a Super Rugby season that will serve as a domestic swansong for a gilded generation of All Blacks hoping to defend the Webb Ellis trophy in England. (RUGBYUNION-SUPER/ZEALAND (PREVIEW), moved, by Greg Stutchbury, 400 words) - - Sharks pack most bite among S African challengers CAPE TOWN - For the second year running the Sharks start the Super Rugby season with a new coach and the mantle of South Africa's most likely championship contenders. (RUGBYUNION-SUPER/SAFRICA (PREVIEW), moved, by Nick Said, 400 words) - - Wallabies distractions a test for champion Waratahs MELBOURNE - World Cup ambitions will hang heavy over all sides in Super Rugby this year but arguably none more so than champions New South Wales, whose coach Michael Cheika must steer the Waratahs title defence while planning for the Wallabies. (RUGBYUNION-SUPER/AUSTRALIA (PREVIEW), moved, by Ian Ransom, 400 words) - - We have also moved factboxes on each conference RUGBYUNION-SUPER/ZEALAND (FACTBOX), RUGBYUNION-SUPER/SAFRICA (FACTBOX), RUGBYUNION-SUPER/AUSTRALIA (FACTBOX), as well as fixtures RUGBYUNION-SUPER/FIXTURES, a list of previous champions RUGBYUNION-SUPER/CHAMPIONS and a competition factbox RUGBYUNION-SUPER/ (FACTBOX). - - - - CRICKET World Cup warm-up matches England crush West Indies in World Cup warm-up SYDNEY - Chris Woakes took five for 19 as England claimed a comfortable nine-wicket victory in their first official World Cup warm-up match after dismissing a hapless West Indies for 122 in 29.3 overs on Monday. (CRICKET-WORLD/ENGLAND, moved, by Nick Mulvenney, 300 words) - - South Africa edge Sri Lanka in World Cup warm-up South Africa beat Sri Lanka by five wickets with just three balls to spare in a thrilling rain-interrupted World Cup warm-up on Monday. (CRICKET-WORLD/SAFRICA, moved, by Julien Linden, 350 words) - - India v Afghanistan (Adelaide) Ireland v Scotland (Sydney) Celtic nations fine-tune for upsets in Blacktown SYDNEY - Ireland have caused major upsets at the last two World Cups and will tune up for their third campaign against a young and hungry Scotland side at Blacktown Oval on Tuesday. (CRICKET-WORLD/IRELAND, expect by 1200 GMT/7 PM ET, by Nick Mulvenney, 300 words) - - We continue our coverage of the build-up to the World Cup, which begins in Australia and New Zealand next week. (CRICKET-WORLD/, expect throughout) - - - - NBA Clippers try to rebound in visit to Mavericks The Los Angeles Clippers, losers of their last four games and with star forward Blake Griffin out for surgery, try to get back on track when they visit the Dallas Mavericks in one of nine games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) - - - - NHL Wild out to keep streak rolling against Canucks The Minnesota Wild put a five-game winning streak on the line when they host the Vancouver Canucks in one of five games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0101 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - TENNIS ATP: World Indoor Tournament, Rotterdam (to 15) Memphis Championships, U.S. (to 15) Brazil Open, Sao Paolo (to 15) WTA: Pattaya Open, Thailand (to Feb 15) BNP Paribas Diamond Games, Antwerp (to 15) Fed Cup first round (to 10) (Europe desk editorr: Ed Osmond)