This Week's Biggest Matches On Rugby Pass

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.

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.

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!