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We preview the best matches to catch on Rugby Pass this weekend.
Super Rugby: Blues vs Brumbies (Friday July 8, 3:35pm HKT)
For the first month or so of the Super Rugby season the Brumbies seemed a lock to win the whole thing. While they’ve since been overtaken in most people’s estimations by about four of the New Zealand sides and the Lions, they still might do it. A win over the Blues in Auckland this weekend would see them well-placed to hold off the Waratahs and top the Australian Conference. From there they’d be a serious dark horse come the playoffs. But the Blues are probably the most unpredictable side in the competition – they very nearly toppled the Hurricanes in Wellington last weekend, and a repeat performance could see them rain on the Brumbies parade this Friday.
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Super League: Hull FC vs Leeds (Saturday July 9, 2:55am HKT)
Only three weeks to go until Super League XXI cleaves clean in two, with the top 8 progressing to the Super 8’s and the bottom 4 forced to scrap it out with the top 4 teams from the Championship. Hull FC and Leeds Rhinos sit at polar opposite ends of the table – Hull, along with Wigan, are the competition frontrunners, heading straight to the bright lights of the Top 8 regardless of their next three games. The Rhinos, even if they win their next three, are destined to battle it out with Championship scum in the Qualifiers.
Super Rugby: Jaguares vs Highlanders (Sunday July 10, 5:40am HKT)
The Highlanders continue their round-the-world tour this week in Buenos Aires, where they face a Jaguares side looking to go back-to-back after seeing off the Bulls last weekend. While their first Super Rugby season has been largely disappointing, the Jaguares have been hard to beat at home – their only losses, to the Sharks, Stormers and Chiefs, have been by margins of 3, 5 and 4 points respectively. If the Highlanders can sneak out of Argentina with a similar result they’ll be more than happy.
NRL: Panthers vs Sharks (Sunday July 10, 2:00pm HKT)
The looming spectre of Origin III on Wednesday makes this less straightforward than it appears – in fact, bookies have the 9th-placed Panthers are firm favourites to prevail against the table-topping Sharks. The league leaders haven’t lost a game since Round 3, though they were taken to golden point by the Warriors a couple of weeks ago and only escaped thanks to a wobbly James Maloney field goal. The Panthers playoff chances took a hit last week with a loss to the Tigers; if they can end the Sharkies’ streak at Pepper Stadium they’ll be right back in the mix, and deservedly so.
NRL: Raiders vs Cowboys (Monday July 11, 5:00pm HKT)
Ricky Stuart’s Raiders gave their legendary mascot Victor the Viking a 600th game to remember last weekend, coming from 22-0 down to take the game to golden point, where a horrendous field goal attempt bounced freakishly into the arms of Jordan Rapana for the winning try. A beautiful moment of rugby league, though not so much for the hard luck Knights. The Green Machine’s luck extends to the NRL draw – this weekend they host an Origin-depleted Cowboys outfit, against whom they’ll be looking to firmly cement themselves in the Top 8.
Comments on RugbyPass
Farcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 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.
61 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.
7 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
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
61 Go to comments