REUTERS SPORTS SCHEDULE AT 6:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET

Here are the top sports stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning. TOP STORIES

RUGBY UNION WORLDCUP ZAF ITA/ Springboks turn on the power against 14-man Italy to top Pool B

FUKUROI CITY, Japan - South Africa ramped up the physicality to crush an Italy side reduced to 14 men for most of the second half 49-3 on Friday, moving above the Italians and New Zealand to the top of Rugby World Cup Pool B in the process. ATHLETICS-WORLD/

Ingebrigtsen's luck runs out in 1,500 metres DOHA - European champion Filip Ingebrigtsen's luck ran out on Friday when he missed out on the world championship final 1,500 metres final, one day after escaping sanction despite appearing to punch another runner in a heat.

FOOTBALL-NFL-RICE/ NFL-Hall of Famer Rice unfazed as receivers chase his records

Jerry Rice redefined the receiver position during his NFL career and the Hall of Famer can only laugh when he thinks about how his astounding offensive numbers would have been even more staggering had he played in the current era. UPCOMING

RUGBY RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-NZL-NAM/PREVIEW (TV)

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - New Zealand v Namibia - News conferences & training World champions New Zealand prepare to play Namibia in their Rugby World Cup Pool B game at the Tokyo Stadium.

5 Oct 23:30 ET / 03:30 GMT RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-AUS-URY/ (PIX) (TV)

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - Australia v Uruguay Australia play Uruguay in their Rugby World Cup Pool D game at the Oita Stadium.

5 Oct 01:15 ET / 05:15 GMT RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-ENG-ARG/ (PIX) (TV)

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - England v Argentina England play Argentina in their Rugby World Cup Pool C game at the Tokyo Stadium.

5 Oct 04:00 ET / 08:00 GMT RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-JPN-WSM/ (PIX) (TV)

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup - Japan v Samoa Japan play Samoa in their Rugby World Cup Pool A game at the City of Toyota Stadium.

5 Oct 06:30 ET / 10:30 GMT TENNIS

TENNIS-BEIJING/ (PIX) Tennis - WTA Premier Mandatory - China Open

Action from the semi-finals of the China Open - a WTA Premier tournament in Beijing. 5 Oct

TENNIS-TOKYO/ (PIX) (TV) Tennis - ATP 500 - Japan Open

Action from the semi-finals of the Japan Open - an ATP 500 event in Tokyo. 5 Oct 00:00 ET / 04:00 GMT

TENNIS-BEIJING/ (PIX) (TV) Tennis - ATP 500 - China Open

Action from the semi-finals of the China Open - an ATP 500 event in Beijing. 5 Oct 01:00 ET / 05:00 GMT

GOLF GOLF-SHRINERS/

Golf - Shriners Hospitals for Children Open third round World number one Brooks Koepka makes his first PGA Tour appearance of the new season as he heads a strong field at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.

5 Oct CRICKET

CRICKET-TEST-IND-ZAF/ Cricket - India v South Africa - First test

India and South Africa meet in the first of the three-test series in Visakhapatnam. 5 Oct

GYMNASTICS GYMNASTICS-WORLD/ (PIX)

2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Stuttgart hosts the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

5 Oct MOTOR RACING

MOTOR-MOTOGP-THAILAND/ (TV) Motorcycling - MotoGP - Thailand Grand Prix - Qualifying

Qualifying for the Thailand Grand Prix - the 15th race of the MotoGP season. 5 Oct 03:10 ET / 07:10 GMT

SOCCER SOCCER-ENGLAND-BRH-TOT/REPORT (PIX)

Soccer - England - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Tottenham Hotspur Brighton & Hove Albion play Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

5 Oct 07:30 ET / 11:30 GMT SOCCER-GERMANY-SCF-DOR/REPORT (PIX) (TV)

Soccer - Germany - Bundesliga - Freiburg v Borussia Dortmund Freiburg host Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

5 Oct 09:30 ET / 13:30 GMT SOCCER-GERMANY-BAY-TSG/REPORT (PIX) (TV)

Soccer - Germany - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v Hoffenheim Bayern Munich face Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

5 Oct 09:30 ET / 13:30 GMT SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-LEI/REPORT (PIX)

Soccer - England - Premier League - Liverpool v Leicester City Liverpool face Leicester City in the Premier League.

5 Oct 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT SOCCER-ENGLAND-WAT-SHU/REPORT (PIX)

Soccer - England - Premier League - Watford v Sheffield United. 5 Oct 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

SOCCER-SPAIN-MAD-GCF/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - Spain - La Liga - Real Madrid v Granada

Real Madrid host Granada in La Liga. 5 Oct 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-BUR-EVE/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - England - Premier League - Burnley v Everton.

5 Oct 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT SOCCER-ENGLAND-NOR-AVA/REPORT (PIX)

Soccer - England - Premier League - Norwich City v Aston Villa. 5 Oct 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

SOCCER-FRANCE-PSG-ANG/REPORT (PIX) Soccer France - Ligue 1 - Paris St Germain vs Angers Soccer-Ligue 1 wrap

Paris St Germain host Angers in Ligue 1. 5 Oct 11:30 ET / 15:30 GMT

SOCCER-ENGLAND-WHU-CRY/REPORT (PIX) Soccer - England - Premier League - West Ham United v Crystal Palace.

5 Oct 12:30 ET / 16:30 GMT ATHLETICS

ATHLETICS-WORLD/ (PIX) (TV) Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Doha 2019

Day nine of the World Athletics Championships in Doha. 5 Oct 09:30 ET / 13:30 GMT

NCAAF FOOTBALL-NCAAF-CIN-UCF

No. 18 UCF at Cincinnati - Field Level Media Central Florida travels to Cincinnati.

20:00 ET / 00:00 GMT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

BASEBALL-MLB-HOU-TB AL Division Series: Rays at Astros - Field Level Media

Ace Justin Verlander will take the mound for the Houston Astros as they host the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. 20:05 ET / 00:05 GMT

BASEBALL-MLB-ATL-STL NL Division Series: Cardinals at Braves - Field Level Media

The NL East champion Atlanta Braves host the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, trailing the series 1-0. 16:37 ET / 20:37 GMT

BASEBALL-MLB-NYY-MIN AL Division Series: Twins at Yankees - Field Level Media

James Paxton will take the mound for the New York Yankees as they host the Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. 19:07 ET / 23:07 GMT

BASEBALL-MLB-LAD-WAS NL Division Series: Nationals at Dodgers - Field Level Media

Clayton Kershaw starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they host the Washington Nationals in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. The Nationals, trailing 1-0 in the series, counter with Stephen Strasburg. 21:37 ET / 01:37 GMT