Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday, Sept 24

Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday: - - - - RUGBY World Cup (to Oct. 31) THURSDAY'S MATCH New Zealand v Namibia (1900) Outsiders Namibia face ultimate test against All Blacks LONDON - The All Blacks have rung in the changes for their second Group C match at the World Cup but will still field a dazzling array of talent against rank outsiders Namibia who open their tournament at the Olympic Stadium (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/NEWZEALAND-NAMIBIA, expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Mark Trevelyan and Martyn Herman, 400 words) - - TEAM NEWS Lancaster set to reveal new-look England midfield LONDON - England coach Stuart Lancaster is expected to include Owen Farrell at flyhalf and Sam Burgess at centre when he names a power-packed team to face Wales on Saturday (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/ENGLAND, expect by 0900 GMT/5 AM ET, by Mitch Phillips, 400 words) - - Vermeulen passion stirs Springbok coach BIRMINGHAM - Number eight Duane Vermeulen returns after neck surgery to play for South Africa against Samoa with coach Heyneke Meyer saying he could not keep him out of the team. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/SAFRICA-VERMEULEN, expect by 0800 GMT/4 AM ET, by Mark Gleeson, 300 words) - - Samoa name team for Villa Park match SUTTON COLDFIELD, England - Samoa coach Stephen Betham names his team for Saturday's Pool B match against South Africa at Villa Park. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/SAMOA-TEAM, expect by 1300 GMT/9 AM ET, by Mark Gleeson, 300 words) - - PREVIEWS Italy v Canada Italian scrum under the spotlight after French woes LONDON - Italy's ill-discipline, particularly in the scrum, will need to be addressed if the Azzurri are to atone for their opening defeat by France when they take on Canada in Leeds on Saturday. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/ITALY-CANADA (PREVIEW), expect by 1300 GMT/9 AM ET, by Justin Palmer, 400 words) - - South Africa v Samoa Springboks seek to revive World Cup hopes BIRMINGHAM - South Africa, stunned by Japan in their opening match, will be looking to get their campaign back on track on Saturday. But opponents Samoa are capable of inflicting further humiliation on the Springboks. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/SAFRICA-SAMOA (PREVIEW), expect by 1500 GMT/11 AM ET, by Mark Gleeson, 400 words) - - England v Wales England ready to repel Welsh in first Pool A showdown LONDON - England and Wales, world-ranked third and fourth, clash at Twickenham knowing the losers will have to beat second-ranked Australia to have a chance of reaching the quarter-finals, such is the quality of the World Cup's 'Group of Death'. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/ENGLAND-WALES (PREVIEW), expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, by Mitch Phillips, 400 words) - - We will also monitor news from across the tournament and file stories throughout. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/) - - - - MOTOR RACING Japanese Formula One Grand Prix Vettel, Button and Verstappen in FIA news conference SUZUKA, Japan - Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, last weekend's Singapore winner, joins Dutch teenager Max Verstappen and McLaren's Jenson Button, whose F1 future is in the spotlight, at the FIA news conference ahead of Sunday's race. (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/ (PIX), expect from 0700 GMT/3 AM ET, by Alan Baldwin, 400 words) - - - - SOCCER La Liga Beaten Barca looking to bounce back at home to Las Palmas MADRID - Champions Barcelona will look to put Wednesday's shock 4-1 reverse at Celta Vigo behind them when they host promoted Las Palmas on Saturday before Real Madrid are at home to Malaga and Atletico Madrid play at Villarreal. (SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PREVIEW) expect by 0900 GMT/3 AM ET, by Iain Rogers, 400 words) Real Betis v Deportivo Coruna (2005) Copy on merit - - Serie A (1845) Empoli v Atalanta Bergamo (1845) Copy on merit - - Ligue 1 (1700) Montpellier HSC v Monaco (1655) Copy on merit - - Premier League Rodgers feeling the heat at Liverpool LONDON - Pressure is something that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says comes with the territory, but after a dismal run, the odds on him becoming the season's first managerial casualty are swiftly shortening. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PREVIEW), moved, by Toby Davis, 456 words) LONDON - We will have all the latest team news ahead of this weekend's matches. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/, expect throughout) - - Bundesliga Hanover with their backs to the wall as Wolfsburg await BERLIN - Hanover 96 coach Michael Frontzeck is running out of time with his team yet to win this season and with the Lower Saxony derby against VfL Wolfsburg, fresh from their 5-1 demolition by Bayern Munich, looming. (SOCCER-GERMANY/(PREVIEW), expect by 1100 GMT/7 AM ET, by Karolos Grohmann, 400 words) - - - - BASEBALL Angels pull closer to Astros after 6-5 win Third baseman David Freese delivered a two-run double during a three-run eighth inning to help the Angels to a 6-5 win over the Astros on Wednesday that allowed them to close the gap on Houston in the chase of a wild card. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/, moved, 800 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0000 GMT/8:00 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - TENNIS ATP: Moselle Open, Metz, France (to 27) WTA: Guangzhou Open, China (to 27) Korean Open (to 27) Pan Pacific Open, Tokyo (to 27) Copy on merit - - - - (Asia Desk Editor: Greg Stutchbury)