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

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.

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.