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The biggest matches to watch on Rugby Pass this week

07 Jun 2017

Crusaders celebrate Mitchell Hunt’s injury-time drop-goal

The Lions tour is in full swing, while elsewhere England and France kick off their respective tours of Argentina and South Africa.

Super Rugby: Hurricanes vs Chiefs (Friday, June 9, 3:35 pm HKT)

A lone Super Rugby game in a weekend of internationals – but what a game it promises to be. The Hurricanes and Chiefs are both guaranteed spots in the playoffs but the result here could still be all-important when it comes to the final standings. A win for the home side would see them lock in 2nd place in the New Zealand conference and a presumptive playoff against the Brumbies. 3rd place, currently held by the Chiefs, will likely involve a trip to South Africa to play the Stormers – something they would probably prefer to avoid.

Lions Tour: Crusaders vs Lions (Saturday, June 10, 3:35pm HKT)

The third match for the Lions in a week – and, by far, their toughest outing to date. The hosts’ young squad are unbeaten in their Super Rugby campaign, while the vaunted visitors struggled in their opener against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians before being outdone by the Blues midweek. Popular opinion suggests the Lions have to perform well here if they are to avoid a dismal and humiliating few weeks.

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International: South Africa vs France (Saturday, June 10, 10:00pm HKT)

Step by occasionally faltering step, Guy Noves’ France are moving away from the craven, rabbit-in-the-headlights side of the Philippe Saint-Andre years. A ‘meh’ first Six Nations in 2016 was followed by an improving tour of Argentina; then a hint of exciting things to come in the November 2016 internationals and a three-from-five Six Nations. This is Les Bleus’ most difficult test on their quest to escape their recent past – but it’s an indication of how far they have come that there is quiet confidence in the camp.

International: Argentina vs England (Sunday, June 11, 3:15am HKT)

Shorn of many of his regular starting line-up, Eddie Jones has opted for a mix of youth and monstrous size for the two-Test tour of the Rugby Championship nation. It’s not hard to imagine that the England side for the World Cup in Japan will be a mix of the Red Rose representatives on the Lions tour, and a generous sprinkling of the young guns here. For those who have ambitions to be on the plane to Japan in two years, the journey starts here.

Lions Tour: Highlanders vs Lions (Tuesday, June 13, 3:35pm HKT)

The tour does not get any easier for the Lions. Their fourth outing of the 10-match tour of New Zealand is another difficult encounter against a high-flying Super Rugby side. Those three Tests against the All Blacks are looming ever larger on the tour horizon – and, by now, we should be starting to get a hint of the gameplan, and the shape of the side that will face the best rugby side in the world. Unless Warren Gatland has a few surprises in store, that is…

South Africa vs Black Ferns XV | Women's International | Full Match Replay

England vs Spain | Women's International | Full Match Replay

Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | Second Match | Full Match Replay

Ireland vs Scotland | Women's International | Full Match Replay

Should the Lions’ last-minute try have stood? | Whistle Watch

Lions Share | Episode 6

KOKO Show | July 29th | George Gregan Stops by to lift spirits after the MCG Madness

Historic Lions Series win at the MCG | Ep 7: The Ultimate Test

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Comparisons between Lions players and teams across different decades is difficult given the huge changes the game has undergone.

Comments on RugbyPass

Hellhound 13 minutes ago

'We struggled': Ex-All Black first five backs Springboks to end Eden Park streak

Blah blah blah. The Boks is 4 deep in every position and no top players in any position. Age won't be a problem. Neither will the Boks be a weak run over. Arrogance and over estimation of current AB's players is what is going to make the AB's go down 2-0 again. Clearly not having watched the Boks closely since the WC in 2023, you have missed the amount of players that's been used. The depth that has been build. It was all over the news and still is. Just by taking out 5 players alone, the Boks age grade drops by at least 2-3 years. By the next WC, they will already be more experienced than most players in other teams, including the AB's. This AB's team is good, but definitely not great and can barely beat a C team French. There is many good players in NZ, but very little depth. Despite SA losing so much talent to other countries, the wheels keep churning out absolute stars, and the sad thing is that many will be lost to the Boks due to other great stars already filling those positions, with other young great stars backing them up. The Boks have so many players in every position,they can employ any strategy they wish and still beat all comers. Can the AB's or other teams do that? No team is undefeatable, not even the Boks. However, unless the Boks lose deliberately or another team bring nothing but their A game and a near flawless game plan, they will lose. As usual these 2 Tests between them will be absolutely great and very very close. When it comes to the Boks vs AB's, ranking doesn't matter. Experience doesn't matter. Nothing matters except the game. Neither ever wants to lose against each other. Every game is like a WC final. But to write of the double WC champs as old? Players who have beaten the AB's 4 games in a row? Players who have won the last WC by 1 point each in the knockouts? Players who knows how to bend but not break in the toughest and tightest games? That knows how to win? Take off the blinders, judge not by emotion, but by logic and common sense. Stats. Facts. Performance. Skill. Everyone wants their team to win and that is a great thing. You and everyone wants to talk about the Georgians and Italy as no contest and the Boks going into the RC as “under cooked”. The Boks never moved out of 2nd gear, experimenting, changing of complete game plans, almost complete team changes, without losing a step. Absolutely destroying these weak teams. Something this AB's side couldn't do to a weak C French team. Last year the Boks used 55 players, and so far used 49 ( would be more if not for injuries ) this year, with the RC still to come, and the EOYT. Last year the Boks only lost 2 tests by 1 point each with these same so called “OLD” players. What's going to be the excuse when the AB's lose against these “OLD” players? The ref again? Or Rassie's innovative experiments? Do not be glib or blind. Show respect where it's due and respect the opposition and what they have achieved. Don't like the current narrative where more and more pundits calls this Bok team to be the best ever team? Better than the AB's of 2011-2015? To me, this is a different time, different players. I don't like to compare teams unless they are the same era. Then that team was the best. Currently it is the Boks. Should the Boks make it a triple WC crown, they would arguably be seen as the best ever team. That argument of the best team ever will carry on until the end of the 2027 WC. Currently this AB team have great potential with tweaks here and there, and with Mouanga back in the frame, it's a big step up. No win is guaranteed. Overhyping players and games does no good for the players on the field, just adding extra pressure that will lead to individual mistakes on the field that will cost a team a game.

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Hammer Head 57 minutes ago

'We struggled': Ex-All Black first five backs Springboks to end Eden Park streak

All things being equal - the ABs have home ground advantage. So they are favourites to win both tests.

Small margins - 1-3 points difference per test in favour of the ABs.

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TokoRFC 1 hour ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

And lazy jounos like Mr. Bidwell jump on that and bag it without investigating the value it really creates or how it could be improved. It isn’t perfect and could be tweaked, but rugby in NZ would be a lot poorer without it.

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IkeaBoy 1 hour ago

British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Wallabies | 3rd Test 2025 Lions series

None of us are! Sure as long as she makes the effort but don’t get too excited!

Our famous, maiden knockout win. We’ll get a bank holiday for it back home in Ireland. All the school kids will want to play rugby and become heroes. They’ll probably make a movie about it.

Then we’ll get 30 PTS dumped on us in the Quarters.

Business as usual, pal!

35 Go to comments

YeowNotEven 1 hour ago

Ex-All Black named in Wallabies squad for Rugby Championship

Give Tane a run yeow Joe.

If he’s just going to hold tackle bags then send him over to Habour to get some time in the NPC.

They just lost Pellegrini to international duties with Tonga.

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TokoRFC 1 hour ago

Andy Farrell left with tough Ireland decisions to make after mixed Lions Tour

Can they replicate that in Ireland though?

Depth has often been their Achilles heal for a long time. They produce would class players no doubt about it, but the drop off from the test 23 to squad players can be pretty steep when injuries inevitably occur (see props). If you take away incoming foreign players that could become eligible after 3 years which is now extended to 5. The job for Andy Farrell and his men to maintain their success becomes tricky.

Even with their golden generation of players they were strong in cohesion and continuity rather than player resources. Injuries can really effect a team like Ireland, we might see more choppy seas than smooth sailing in the emerald isles going forward.

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J Marc 1 hour ago

How group of spoiled Racing 92 players drove Stuart Lancaster 'insane'

No news from Mac Kenzie. But, in France, sports agents are often used to make a noise for a better salary. I suppose it's the same thing abroad…

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JW 1 hour ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

Yes mind boggling to think that NZR could have the opinion it wasn’t fit for purpose.

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DP 1 hour ago

Andy Farrell left with tough Ireland decisions to make after mixed Lions Tour

They’ll copy SA and France, it’s the only way for sustained success.

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JW 1 hour ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

Yep back in the day as a youngster (before you could get really stuck in yourself playing) you were waiting for NPC to start, buy you’d also go down to the club and see the likes of Joeli or Jonah running around with the boys. Small towns 5-10-15k would have hundreds and thousands down at the local club games sometimes, when teams lined up with lots of provincial players. It used to be a great boon to clubs and fans, then SR came along.

So now that immersion takes place only for the club player than can make it into his province, with general a handful or SR players also being involved at least. Not quite as accessible to everyone, but plays out on the screens at least. It was a big reason given for guys quitting the game when that interaction was removed from club rugby.

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TokoRFC 1 hour ago

Richie Mo'unga signs new deal with New Zealand Rugby

Oh no doubt its good, I would have liked him back earlier ideally

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Over the sideline 1 hour ago

Richie Mo'unga signs new deal with New Zealand Rugby

Yeah the SA tour size will be crazy.

Im reading LF is available for the EOYYs if required. Not the Bledisloe tho.

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JW 1 hour ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws