This week's biggest matches to watch on Rugby Pass

The big one is finally here – the Lions taking on the All Blacks on Saturday – but there are a few other tasty internationals on too.

Australia vs Italy (Saturday, June 24, 1pm HKT)

Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium is the venue as Michael Cheika puts his decidedly average 55% win record as Australia coach on the line against a side the Wallabies have not yet faced during his 33-match tenure. The last of the two sides’ 16 meetings to date was in November 2013 in Turin – a match Australia won 50-20. In fact, the hosts have beaten the Azzurri every time the two sides have met, and all but two of them have been by comfortable margins. Should that record fall – and it’s on the highly improbable side of very unlikely – good bloke Cheika could be in some hot water.

New Zealand vs Lions (Saturday, June 24, 3:35pm HKT)

This. Is. It. The Lions have won four of their six matches so far – and have already silenced some armchair critics and media munchkins in New Zealand, while reducing others to muttering darkly about their weaponised defence tactic. Which is a little like the media in other countries moaning about the haka and blocking runners – which, by the way, they have. Ad nauseum. The fact is, the tourists have given themselves a puncher’s chance few would have given them credit for a matter of weeks ago. But, sticking with the boxing metaphor, they are up against the undisputed heavyweight champions of world rugby. At Eden Park. Where the All Blacks do not lose.

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South Africa vs France (Saturday, June 24, 11pm HKT)

How do you solve a problem like French rugby? When he took over at the end of 2015, coach Guy Noves said he had no magic wand – and, despite seductive hints of promise of a return to flair in November 2016, he’s largely been proved right. After two less-than-impressive performances on tour so far, the French have one last chance to salvage something that could, in the right light, be mistaken for pride in Johannesburg this weekend.

Argentina vs Georgia (Sunday, June 25, 3:15am HKT)

Argentina scored a perfectly reasonable 59 points in their last two Tests, and lost both of them. So, it’s a safe bet they will be out to do some damage at San Salvador’s Estadio 23 de Agosto against a side they would be widely expected to beat in their last outing before the Rugby Championship. The visitors have been knocking on the door of Tier 1 rugby for several years, and the clamour for them to have a shot at the Six Nations has reached deafening levels. How they fare against the 2015 World Cup semifinalists will be a litmus test for how ready they really are.

Hurricanes vs Lions (Tuesday, June 27, 3:35pm HKT)

The Lions’ midweek matches end here, in Wellington, against a Hurricanes side that has spent most of the Super Rugby season blinding opponents with outrageous brilliance. The two sides to beat them – fellow NZ outfits the Chiefs (twice) and Crusaders – did so on the back of stifling, kettling defence: a style that the Lions have, apparently, also mastered. Could the tourists become the third team to down the ‘Canes in what is certain to be a handy run-out at the Westpac ahead of the second Test against the All Blacks at the same venue?