As every football fan knows, FC Barcelona were in town over the weekend to play a friendly against Beijing Guo’an at the Bird’s Nest National Stadium, to mark the second anniversary of the opening of the Beijing Olympics. Modern Lei Feng has done a short post about the match, as well as posting some snaps on Flickr.

"Let's start at Old Trafford, and a debut goal from Neil Webb." These were the opening words on Goals Galore 1989/90 - the season that Manchester City famously humiliated Manchester United 5-1 at Maine Road. Fittingly, Talking Balls starts this week at Old Trafford in the week in which United were humbled 6-1 at home. Snooker whizz Ding Junhui was at the seven-goal thriller and his reaction to the game on Sina Weibo sparked internet fury. Chinese reds thought that the cuesmith was being sarcastic and Ding wasn't standing for it. Read all about it here on China Daily but don't miss the bit where a friend of Ding's says that the star "loves Wayne Rooney very much."

After a long international break, Beijing Guoan was back in action Saturday night at Worker’s Stadium as they faced off against Liaoning Whowin in an important late season match.  While Guoan no longer has a chance at the title, with only eight matches left in the season, they are fighting to keep hold of second place, giving them entry in next year’s Asian Champions League. 

Beijing’s rugby fans have been waiting four years for a World Cup with nothing to whet their appetites but regional rugby tournaments, the fever that gripped the city for last year’s FIFA World Cup and  that Matt Damon movie with the funny accents. Their wait is over: The IRB World Cup kicks off this Friday in New Zealand. The first game pits the hosts against Tonga at 4.30pm.  Even if you aren’t already enamoured with the 15-a-side code, you’ll be happy that the tournament’s Beijing-friendly time zone means that games will be televised here in the mornings and afternoons. See a full schedule here (click on line above the fixtures that says "Matches are set to New Zealand time, click here to switch to your local time").

So to the important question: Where can you watch a ruck? Check out the list below for your rugby options.

China ClubFootball and the Beijinger both celebrate ten-year anniversaries next month, but only one can claim that they've been making people healthier all this time. Since 2001, ClubFootball has been at the forefront of grassroots football – getting the city's men, women and children, both local and foreign, to play the world's game.

Now ClubFootball has graciously offered us the chance to enter a team of our readers into their upcoming Autumn Men's 5-a-side season.
Even if your skills are more messy than they are Messi and your physique is closer to the fat Ronaldo than the prat Ronaldo, we are looking for you.