This week's biggest matches to watch on Rugby Pass
There’s a full house of big matches this weekend, from an all-Irish showdown in the Pro12 to a sizzling South African derby in Super Rugby.
Aviva Premiership: Harlequins vs Exeter Chiefs (Saturday, April 15, 2:45am HKT)
After last week’s super-stadium away days at Twickenham and Wembley, it’s back to ground basics this week as Quins entertain Exeter at The Stoop. The visitors have already booked a place in the post-season playoffs, but will want to hold on to a top two spot and guarantee home advantage. But their hosts, currently sixth in the table, have next season’s Champions Cup on their mind – not to mention an outside shot of the top four if they can pick up enough points in the closing three rounds of the regular season.
Top 14: Toulon vs Castres Olympique (Saturday, April 15, 8:45pm HKT)
The Top 14 season kicked off on August 20, 2016. Almost nine months later, there are just three – or, in the case of Castres, Montpellier, Racing 92, and Stade Francais four – matches of the regular domestic season left. And there’s still plenty to play for. The teams facing one another at Stade Mayol this weekend are strong playoff contenders, but given the state of the French top flight that could change very quickly for the team that loses here. Or maybe not, depending on results elsewhere.
Super Rugby: Stormers vs Lions (Saturday, April 15, 11:15pm HKT)
Against all predictions, some of the best rugby of this young Super season is coming out of South Africa. The two main culprits are the Stormers and Lions – and they meet in Cape Town on Saturday in the undisputed match of the round. The Stormers thrilled in their win over the high-flying Chiefs last week to remain undefeated this season, while last year’s beaten finalists the Lions haven’t been too far off their 2016 pace. Only home advantage tips this is the Stormers’ favour, but it should be an absolute barnburner.
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Pro 12: Connacht vs Leinster (Sunday, April 16, 2:30am HKT)
Time is rapidly running out on the Pat Lam era at Connacht, but the Bristol-bound coach still has unfinished business in Galway. With time fast running out on the current campaign, the fourth Irish province is seventh in the Pro 12 and eight points adrift of Glasgow, who occupy the last of the non-Italian Champions Cup places. The chase is on, and Connacht could not have wished for more difficult opponents for the first of their final three matches.
NRL: Panthers vs Sharks (Sunday, April 16, 2:00pm HKT)
Are the Panthers set to be the great pretenders of this NRL season? Hotly tipped to be a Premiership contender, the Penrith side have stuttered to a 2-4 record over the first six weeks. Last weekend was perhaps their least convincing performance yet, going down 21-20 at home to the Rabbitohs. This weekend will be a whole lot tougher, with the Sharks showing up at Pepper Stadium. The Panthers are still the favourites, but they’ll have to start playing like it.
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to comments