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This Week's Biggest Matches On Rugby Pass

By Calum Henderson
Tohu Harris

We preview the best matches to catch on Rugby Pass this weekend, including the battle for the NRL Minor Premiership, the only unbeaten team in the Top 14 against the defending champs, and the start of the Aviva Premiership.

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NRL: Storm vs Sharks (Saturday September 3, 5:30pm HKT)
Everything fell into place perfectly last weekend to set up a battle for the Minor Premiership on Saturday night. First the Storm fell 26-16 to a Broncos side who look to be coming back into form at just the right time, then the Sharks recovered from an early 12-0 deficit to smash the Roosters 37-12 and get their season facing back in the direction. That leaves the Storm on 40 points and the Sharks with 39 going into the final round, and sets up a huge match to end the regular season at AAMI Stadium. Minor Premiership aside, the Sharks have the bigger incentive to win: if they don’t, and the Raiders beat the Tigers, they could drop to 3rd and find themselves facing the prospect of a first round playoff match in Canberra.

NRL: Tigers vs Raiders (Sunday September 4, 12:05pm HKT)
Both teams will know exactly what is on the line by the time they run out on Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers need the Cowboys to beat the Titans on Saturday to have any chance of sneaking into the top 8 with a win here, while the Raiders will be hoping the Storm beat the Sharks. That would mean a win here would almost certainly propel them into 2nd place and secure them home advantage at their ice fortress GIO Stadium for Week 1 of the finals. The Raiders are on a 9 game winning streak and look more and more like a Premiership side each week, so whatever the permutations the Tigers will have their work cut out.

 
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Aviva Premiership: Wasps vs Chiefs (Sunday September 4, 10:00pm HKT)
The Aviva Premiership season kicks off this weekend with a rematch of the 2015-16 semifinal as Wasps host Exeter Chiefs at Ricoh Arena. These two sides had some classic skirmishes last season – Wasps knocked Exeter out of the Champions Cup quarterfinals before Chiefs returned the favour in the Premiership semis. On both occasions it was the home side that emerged victorious, and provided Wasps’ dynamic backline clicks into place they should be the favourites to continue that trend and get their season off to a flying start.

Top 14: Bordeaux vs Montpellier (Sunday September 4, 10:15pm HKT)
Bordeaux and Montpellier both went close to big wins last weekend but came away with only a bonus point each to show from it. Bordeaux went down 22-17 to Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon with a converted Julien Marchand try late in the game proving the difference for the home side, while Montpellier outscored Clermont three tries to two but couldn’t get the win, going down 26-22 at home. Between them they have just one win from four games so far this season – Bordeaux beating Racing 92 in Round 1 – and while the season is still young, both will be targeting this as an important match.

Top 14: Racing 92 vs Toulouse (Monday September 5, 3:00am HKT)
The defending champions against the only unbeaten side in the Top 14 this season. While Racing recovered from their first round loss to Bordeaux with a 29-16 win over Lyon last weekend, Toulouse kept rolling by beating Bordeaux 22-17 to add to their opening round win over Montpellier. History suggests this is Racing 92’s for the taking, based solely on home advantage: you have to go back six games, to 2014, to find the last time the away side won a Racing 92 vs Toulouse game – and of all 16 fixtures dating back to 2010, only three have been won by the away side. Bon chance Toulouse!

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Bull Shark 28 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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