The Tight Five: This Week’s Biggest Matches on Rugby Pass

We preview the five best matches to catch on Rugby Pass this week.

NRL: Sea Eagles vs Eels (Thursday April 14, 5:50pm HKT)
Thursday Night Football goes to Brookvale Oval this week where a potential game of the round looms between the Sea Eagles and the Eels. Both teams had convincing wins last weekend – Manly played smart and frustrated the Warriors into making errors all game while the Eels were far too strong for the Raiders. A quarter of the way through the regular season already, the Eels sit 3rd on the table behind last year’s finalists. They look good to go deep in the finals this year, but if they have any hidden weaknesses you be sure the Sea Eagles will find and expose them.

Super League: St Helens vs Catalans (Friday April 15, 4:00am HKT)
Both these sides made big statements of intent last week – the Dragons smashing Hull KR 40-0 and St Helens edging out the top of the table Wolves 25-22. Catalans now sit second on the table after ten rounds while St Helens are overcoming an inconsistent start to the season to now sit just two points back in 6th. The French club, bolstered by a slew of former NRL stars, look like one of the best chances to win the Super League title this year, and will look even better if they can get a result on the road against the Saints.

Aviva Premiership: Saints vs Tigers (Saturday 16 April, 12:30am HKT)
A 41-13 win over Stade Francais last weekend saw Leicester Tigers join fellow English clubs Wasps and Saracens in the semifinals of the European Champions Cup. This week they turn their attention back to the Aviva Premiership, where they currently sit fourth on the table – just four points ahead of Saints. The Northampton side lost to Saracens in their European Cup quarterfinal, so will be fully focused on their Premiership campaign. When these teams met earlier in the season Leicester snuck home 30-27, and the margin of this match could be similarly narrow.

Super Rugby: Blues vs Sharks (Saturday April 16, 3:35pm HKT)
So near and yet so far for the Blues in Hamilton last weekend. They finally looked like the team they did back in Round 1, and led the table-topping Chiefs midway through the second half before the home side snapped into action. The Chiefs pulled away in the final quarter, and the 29-23 scoreline will have haunted the Blues all week going into Saturday’s clash with the Sharks. The Durban side didn’t have a lot of positives to take from their 24-9 loss to the Lions last week, and if they don’t improve this week could find themselves on the wrong side of a blowout as the Blues look to exorcise their demons.

Top 14: Toulouse vs Racing 92 (Sunday April 17, 12:30am HKT)
With only six rounds remaining in the Top 14 regular season, this shapes as as an important game for both clubs. After a rough last couple of months Toulouse are only just hanging on to their position in the top six, which secures them through to the quarterfinals. Only four points separate them from 7th placed Castres, who could leapfrog them with a win over Grenoble. After winning their European Cup quarterfinal last weekend, Racing 92 will be looking to return to the top two spot they’ve inhabited for most of the season.

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