This Week's Biggest Matches On Rugby Pass

We preview the best matches to catch on Rugby Pass this weekend, including a mouthwatering Monday night match-up in the NRL, a pivotal Super League clash and the start of the Currie Cup.

NRL: Broncos vs Eels (Friday August 12, 5:50pm HKT)
The two biggest implosions of the 2016 NRL season have been the Eels off the field and the Broncos on it. Wayne Bennett’s side have been in a rut for months now and looked unconvincing in creeping past the Dragons 12-8 to hold on to the 6th rung on the ladder. The Eels, while out of playoffs contention, haven’t given up the ghost and have continued to turn in solid performances week on week. They fought back to pip the Sea Eagles 10-9 last week and the way things are going could do the same on Friday night if the Broncos aren’t careful.

Currie Cup: Golden Lions vs Pumas (Friday August 12, 11:00pm HKT)
South Africa’s premier domestic rugby competition makes its Rugby Pass debut this weekend. The Currie Cup was first contested in 1892 and today features more big cat-based team names per capita than any other rugby competition. Two of those teams meet this weekend – the Golden Lions of Johannesburg and Nelspruit’s Pumas. Super Rugby fans might recognise some of the Golden Lions from Johan Ackermann’s squad that travelled to Buenos Aires for the Lions’ retrospectively ill-fated match against the Jaguares. The defending champs will be favourites to get their Currie Cup campaign underway with a win over the Pumas this weekend.

Super League: St Helens vs Catalans (Saturday August 13, 3:00am HKT)
The Super 8s are only a week old, but this match already looks like it could have a big say on who progresses to the Super League’s top 4. With a pack of three clubs at the top of the table and another three at the bottom, St Helens and Catalans are in a kind of purgatory, occupying 4th and 5th respectively. Both had wins in the first round of Super 8 – Saints beating Wolves and Catalans proving too good for Widnes – and only two points separate them on the table, making this a four-pointer if ever there was one.

NRL: Tigers vs Titans (Saturday August 13, 1:00pm HKT)
A four-way battle has broken out between Panthers, Warriors, Tigers and Titans for the last two spots in the top 8. A single point separates the four clubs, and each plays at least one of the others in the final four rounds. That means this week’s clash between the Tigers and Titans is a genuine 4-pointer which could all but sink the loser. The Titans travel to Sydney off a loss to the Warriors last weekend, but we saw some promising glimpses from their new recruit Jarryd Hayne. The Tigers will be looking to go back-to-back after a claiming a huge scalp against the Cowboys last week. Whoever comes out on top will be taking a big step closer to finals footy.

NRL: Raiders vs Storm (Monday August 15, 5:00pm HKT)
The Raiders beating the Sharks last week wasn’t altogether surprising – what was surprising was how easy they made it look. If there was any skepticism that the Green Machine could challenge for the premiership this season it should have been buried on the halfway line at Shark Park. They have another giant-killing opportunity coming up when they host the infuriatingly consistent Melbourne Storm in Monday Night Football. Craig Bellamy’s side have only lost three games all season, but they had a fright last week when the Rabbitohs held them to 14-14 after 80 minutes. A golden point field goal from Cameron Smith got them out of jail, and they probably won’t be that bad again on Monday.