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

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

International: All Blacks vs Wales (Saturday June 11, 3:35pm HKT)
The All Blacks haven’t played a game in over six months, and in that time they’ve lost some of their best players ever to retirement. Could this be Wales’ time to strike for their first win on New Zealand soil? Not if you ask the bookies, who are predicting the All Blacks to win by a good 20 points. Even the most contrary of rugby columnists have been reluctant to stick their necks out and predict a Welsh upset could be on the cards. Since the World Cup the Dragons have endured a disappointing Six Nations campaign and a disspiriting pre-tour loss to England. The All Blacks are going for their 35th consecutive win at Eden Park and their 39th consecutive win in New Zealand.

International: Australia vs England (Saturday June 11, 6:00pm HKT)
After the living nightmare of their 2015 World Cup campaign England woke up in 2016 to claim a Six Nations Grand Slam where not only did they win, they looked like a proper good rugby side doing it. Their pre-tour warm-up win over Wales should probably be taken with a grain of salt, but nonetheless points to this being the pick of the international tours. Like New Zealand, Australia haven’t played since the World Cup, and their Super Rugby sides haven’t exactly been setting the competition on fire. They’re still favourites, but they’re there for the taking if the Six Nations England shows up.

International: South Africa vs Ireland (Saturday June 11, 11:00pm HKT)
Ireland have never beaten the Springboks in South Africa, but if they watched the Japan game from last year’s World Cup on the plane to Cape Town they should be feeling like anything is possible this weekend. Another hopeful stat: in the 12 years since they last toured, Ireland have won four of their six encounters with the Springboks, all in Dublin. Less hopeful is the list of Irish players staying at home – Johnny Sexton, Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien… – but if they can match the Boks up front they could find themselves in with a glimpse.

Top 14: Racing 92 vs Toulouse (Sunday June 12, 2:45am HKT)
A frantic final day of the Top 14 regular season ended up with Toulon the happiest team in France, their bonus point win over Bordeaux enough to snatch them second place and direct passage to the semi finals. Racing 92 and Toulouse also had big wins, but had to settle for 4th and 5th place respectively, and a do-or-die quarter final this weekend. They shared the honours in their regular season match-ups, with Toulouse winning 14-3 at home in April to overturn Racing’s 28-13 home win in November. Racing 92 have the home advantage this weekend, and so are the favourites to progress to a semi final date with (probably) Toulon or (maybe) Clermont in Rennes.

NRL: Sharks vs Cowboys (Monday June 13, 5:00pm HKT)
A potential Grand Final preview as the Cowboys travel down to Shark Park to face the competition leaders on Monday Night Footy. The Cowboys got the kindest post-Origin draw they could have asked for last week with the hapless Knights sent up to Townsville and duly demolished 46-16. The Sharks on the other hand had to fight tooth and nail for 80 minutes to get the two points against the Dogs, who led right up to the 79th minute when Ricky Leutele touched down and James Maloney sealed the win 20-18. Safe to say that this game will be closer to the latter scoreline than the former, but it’s anybody’s call which way it’ll go.