A freeze frame of the sporting weekend

SPORTING action this weekend is dwindling away to just a fraction of its original programme, with more than half of the Active Nation Scottish Cup ties almost certain to be lost to the freezing conditions, along with the bulk of the Scottish Football League fixture list and the entire domestic club rugby programme north of the Border.

The Magners League and Guinness Premiership schedule is badly affected too, while in horseracing, the all-weather circuits could be the only meetings to beat the the elements. The Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country in Holyrood Park does, however, look on course to proceed on Saturday. Here is a sport-by-sport, gameby-game guide to the latest prospects...

ACTIVE NATION SCOTTISH CUP FOURTH ROUND

Aberdeen v Hearts (Saturday, 3pm)

Aberdeen monitoring the pitch and surrounding areas and will make final decision tomorrow.

Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Albion Rovers v Stirling Albion

(Saturday, 3pm)

Pitch inspection takes place today at 1pm.

Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Ayr v Brechin (Saturday, 3pm)

Pitch inspection taking place today at 9.15am.

Rearranged date if necessary: Wednesday 13 January, 7.45pm

Dunfermline v Stenhousemuir

(Saturday, 3pm)

Previous Dunfermline home game against Raith Rovers on 2 January was postponed. Rearranged date if necessary: Wednesday 20 January, 7.45pm

Edinburgh City v Montrose

(Saturday, 3pm)

Meadowbank Stadium will be the subject of an inspection today at 1pm. Rearranged date if necessary: Wednesday 13 January, 7.45pm

Forfar v St Johnstone

(Saturday, 3pm)

Pitch inspection taking place today at 10am.

Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Hamilton v Rangers

(Sunday, 12.15pm)

Inspection planned for tomorrow, although Hamilton's last two scheduled home SPL matches against Dundee United (19 December) and St Mirren (30 December) were both postponed. Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Hibs v Irvine Meadow

(Saturday, 3pm)

Pitch should be playable but much will depend on the surrounding areas, while authorities will be mindful that Irvine Meadow are hoping to bring at least 2,500 fans across from Ayrshire. Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Inverness CT v Motherwell

(Saturday, 3pm)

Caley's previous home match against Ross County was postponed due to conditions surrounding Caledonian Stadium. Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Kilmarnock P Falkirk P

(Saturday, 3pm)

Postponed yesterday after a meeting between club and Strathclyde Police. Pitch playable but areas surrounding the stadium deemed dangerous. Rearranged date: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Livingston v Dundee (Saturday, 3pm)

Livingston hopeful game will be on. Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Morton P Celtic P

(Saturday, 3pm)

Called off yesterday, frost already in the pitch followed by snow. Further inspection planned for Monday ahead of rearranged game. Rearranged date: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Partick Thistle v Dundee Utd

(Saturday, 3pm)

Thistle have undersoil heating and hosted Morton on Monday.

Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

Raith Rovers v Airdrie Utd

(Saturday, 3pm)

Pitch inspection taking place today at 9.15am. Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 19 January, 7.45pm

Ross County v Inverurie Locos

(Saturday, 3pm)

Pitch inspection set for today at 1pm.

Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 12 January, 7.45pm

St Mirren v Alloa (Saturday, 3pm)

Police let Saturday's SPL visit of Kilmarnock to go ahead. Rearranged date if necessary: Tuesday 19 January, 7.45pm

SCOTTISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE

FIRST DIVISION

Rearranged fixture: The Dunfermline Athletic v Raith match that was postponed last Saturday has been pencilled in for Tuesday, 26 January at 7.45pm.

SECOND DIVISION

Cowdenbeath v Arbroath (Sat, 3pm)

Inspection at 9.45am today.

Peterhead v Clyde (Sat, 3pm)

Peterhead monitoring surface but say no pitch inspection is yet necessary.

THIRD DIVISION

East Stirlingshire v Queen's Park

(Sat, 3pm)

Shire's plastic pitch has a covering of ice in places. Inspection 12.15pm today.

Berwick P Stranraer P (Sat, 3pm)

With around 9-12 inches of snow on Shielfield Park, called off yesterday.

MAGNERS LEAGUE

Leinster v Glasgow

(RDS, Dublin, 8pm tomorrow)

Leinster are hopeful the game will go ahead, and will make a decision by early afternoon today. The Royal Dublin Showground does not have undersoil heating, but the pitch has been well covered and they have ground staff working around the clock.

Ulster P Ospreys P

(Ravenhill, tomorrow)

Match postponed, pitch frozen

Connacht P Dragons P

(Sportsground, tomorrow)

Match postponed, pitch frozen

Edinburgh v Cardiff

(Murrayfield, 6.30pm, Saturday)

Game is currently on and the pitch, with the benefit of undersoil heating, should be playable, so only threat to postponement is safety concerns around stadium. But with busy ground staff, Edinburgh were last night confident that the game will go ahead.

Munster v Scarlets

(Musgrave Park, 5pm Sunday)

If Musgrave Park is unplayable, Thomond Park is the back-up venue for subject to it being passed as playable. Pitch inspections will go ahead at both venues tomorrow and Saturday afternoon.

SCOTTISH HYDRO PREMIER 1

(Saturday fixtures)

Ayr v Dundee HSFP

Match postponed, pitch frozen. Millbrae sponsors' lunch still going ahead.

Currie v Boroughmuir

Match postponed, pitch frozen

Heriot's FP v Glasgow Hawks

Match postponed, pitch frozen

Selkirk v Stewart's Melville FP

Match postponed, pitch frozen

Watsonians v Edinburgh Acad

Match postponed, pitch frozen

West of Scotland v Melrose

Match postponed, pitch frozen

The freezing temperatures and snow have combined to make it extremely unlikely that any games in Scottish Hydro Premiership and National Leagues will be played this weekend, with concerns already being expressed about the following weekend's fixtures.

GUINNESS PREMIER

Sale v Saracens

Match postponed. Sale had even moved their game from Friday night to Saturday lunchtime in an attempt to beat the freeze but it proved fruitless.

Newcastle v Gloucester

Match postponed.

Bath v Northampton

Match postponed.

Leicester v Wasps

Saturday's kick-off has been brought from 5.30pm to 3.15pm in the hope of beating the plunging temperatures.

Worcester v London Irish

Pitch covered and match still on at the moment, but fixture is doubtful.

Harlequins v Leeds

Pitch covered and match still on at the moment, but game on doubtful list.

Saturday sees Edinburgh host the Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country in Holyrood Park. The event incorporates three senior races, the Scottish Inter-District Championships, plus a fun-run, and plans have been drawn up to clear a route through the snow-covered park to ensure that the full schedule is possible.

A spokesperson for organisers, Nova, said: "The top road is still closed off due to snow but we intend to bring in a snow plough and gritter before the race to clear this route. If after this we still have concerns over the running conditions, then we do have a contingency route. An alternative route is very much the back-up plan and our number one priority is to provide a good, safe running experience."

TODAY

Southwell

The Nottinghamshire all-weather circuit raced on Tuesday afternoon and is scheduled to get the go-ahead today.

Kempton

Inspection will take place at 8am.

Lingfield

Officials to take a look at 6.30am.

Also today, officials at Ayr will inspect Craigie course at 11am to assess the prospects of Monday's meeting, which are already looking grim given that the track is frozen and under three inches of snow.

TOMORROW

Southwell

Six-race Flat card due to begin at 1.15.

Wolverhampton

Inspection at 2.30pm today, but four inches of snow on the track.

Lingfield

Much will depend on the inspection planned for today's meeting.

Bangor

National Hunt meeting abandoned.

Fontwell

Jumps card has been called off.

SATURDAY

Ffos Las

Officials at Britain's newest track still believe they have a "fighting chance" of staging a top-class jumps card, which is due to feature the Welsh Champion Hurdle and the rescheduled Tolworth Hurdle – salvaged from Sandown's abandonment last weekend.

Kempton

All-weather meeting still has a chance.

Lingfield

Much will depend on outcome of previous two days' fixtures.

Sedgefield

Abandoned yesterday.

Wincanton

Jumps meeting already abandoned.

SUNDAY

Southwell

Due to race unless conditions deteriorate in the next few days.

Hereford

off already

Leopardstown

Thawed yesterday and still a chance it could beat the weather.