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This week's biggest matches to watch on Rugby Pass
No Six Nations, no worries – between the Top 14 and Premiership, Super Rugby and the return of the NRL, there’s more than enough oval ball to watch this weekend.
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Super Rugby: Chiefs vs Blues (Friday March 3, 2:35pm HKT)
All eyes will be on this match come Friday as Super Rugby fans continue to test the unlikely theory: are the Blues actually good this year? Round 1 was inconclusive – sure they beat the Rebels 56-18 and looked pretty good in doing so, but until we see them play a fellow New Zealand conference side we just can’t know for sure. Enter the Chiefs, whose own season got off to a decent enough start with a hoodoo-breaking win over the Highlanders down in Dunedin. More than a few questions look set to be answered in Hamilton on Friday night and whatever the outcome we should see some exciting footy along the way.
NRL: Titans vs Roosters (Saturday March 4, 6:00pm HKT)
If the good folks at the NRL know anything it’s how to schedule a footy competition. Round 1 has mouthwatering matchups across the board – take your pick from Sharks vs Broncs on Thursday night, Bulldogs hosting the Storm on Friday, or the huge Cowboys vs Raiders clash on Saturday. One low-key intriguing matchup pits the Titans against the Roosters, both sides tipped for big seasons who’ll want to get off on the right foot. The Titans’ young talent looked exciting in the back end of last season and with a full preseason behind Jarryd Hayne we could be in for some fireworks. But the Roosters showed at the Auckland Nines, they’re not to be taken lightly.
Top 14: Castres Olympique vs Clermont (Saturday March 4, 9.45pm HKT)
Two of the Top 14’s best attacks – and defences for that matter – meet in a fourth-versus-first encounter of the epic kind. A trip to the southwestern town of Castres is tough for any side – even free-scoring top-of-the-table Clermont, whose victory at Stade Pierre Antoine last season was their first in 40 years and 22 visits, and only their third since 1960. Clermont’s challenge, which they have to accept whether they like it or not, has been made all the more difficult as they have been shorn of seven players to Six Nations duty.
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Aviva Premiership: Bath vs Wasps (Saturday, March 4, 11:00pm HKT)
Another league, another fourth-versus-first meeting as Bath entertain Wasps at the Rec in the Aviva Premiership. And it’s another encounter in which something has to give. The hosts have lost just one game at home since April 2016, while Wasps have won seven of their last eight games on the bounce … and have won four of the last five meetings between the two sides. More pressingly for the hosts, however, is the fact their hold on fourth place and the final play-off spot is perhaps best described as precarious – fifth-placed Leicester are breathing down their necks.
Aviva Premiership: Worcester Warriors vs Bristol (Sunday March 5, 11:00pm HKT)
This relegation dogfight got real for Worcester last week after Bristol beat Westcountry rivals Bath thanks to the boot of the perma-tanned Gavin Henson. That victory was only Bristol’s third in the Aviva Premiership this season and their first under new consultant Alan Solomons, but it coincided with Worcester’s 11th defeat of the campaign – and moved today’s bottom-of-the-table visitors to within just two points of their hosts. Tense much at Sixways this weekend?
Top 14: Toulouse vs La Rochelle (Monday March 6, 12:00am HKT)
One of two late, late matches in the French Top 14 this weekend pits one of the league’s traditional giants against the new kids on the block. Toulouse may have much more silverware and a prouder history than their rivals from the Atlantic coast, but reputation means nothing to La Rochelle this season. The visitors have lost only four of their 18 Top 14 matches this season to sit in second behind Clermont on points difference only. For eighth-placed Toulouse, the unthinkable could be on the cards – with eight weeks remaining and tough trips to Brive, Bordeaux, Toulon and Castres to come, they could fail to finish in the top six. Out of the play-offs and out of next season’s Champions Cup. Make no mistake, this match matters to Toulouse.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments