An All Black Affair at Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup starts this week and it’s New Zealand and France who are favored to win at the sportsbook.
The All Blacks are three-time winners of the William Webb Ellis Trophy, but with the tournament being held in France, the French are firming with Rugby World Cup betting markets.
If you have never seen rugby, tune into the action and marvel at the physicality and skill of the game – with no pads necessary.
New Zealand Staying Strong, And With Generous Odds
The All Blacks final warm-up match was a shocker, but it shouldn’t undo all the hard work they have done in 2023.
New Zealand enters the Rugby World Cup on the second line of Rugby betting markets at +300, which is a generous price.
The 2011 and 2015 World Cup champions have copped plenty of criticism following their defeat to South Africa, but warm-up games are there for that reason.
New Zealand dominated the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup again, and that has long been a good form guide.
Its toughest match is the opening game against France, which plays on Friday. If New Zealand beats the host nation in pool play, its Rugby World Cup lines will shorten significantly.
However, the All Blacks have suffered two late injuries to Jordie Barrett and Emoni Narawa, with the latter reinjuring his back.
“It’s incredibly sad. In the Twickenham week, he ran his fastest time of the year, he was coming back, so his preparation has actually been really good, trending right up,” New Zealand coach Ian Foster told the media.
“It’s obviously been a niggling back since the Argentinian test and he was coming right, he trained really well on Monday and it was actually the last thing he did in the skill block that he jarred it.”
France Under Pressure, Offers Little Betting Value
Winning the Rugby World Cup isn’t easy, and France’s form has been mixed this year, but they’re a strong unit.
The last four years have boiled down to this moment, and we’re confident France could make a deep run.
It plays the All Blacks in its first game, but France has lost pool games in previous Rugby World Cups and still progresses to the finals.
Boasting a rugged forward pack and a solid backline, France only needs to cope with the pressure and come up with big plays at the right moment.
The latest Rugby World Cup news shows confidence from the French camp, and they have every right to be. They might have been behind Ireland in the Six Nations, but this was the ultimate goal all along.
Getting +250 is a touch short, but France should be one of the best teams at the tournament.
South Africa is Always Challenging
No matter how poorly they play during the Rugby Championship, where they are easily handled by the All Blacks, South Africa comes alive for the World Cup.
The 2019 champions are back to defend their title, and after hammering New Zealand in their most recent game at Twickenham, they are full of confidence.
The Springboks play a different brand of rugby. Some call it boring, but it gets the job done. They use an impressive kicking game, which is usually helped by playing well above sea level in South Africa.
Conditions won’t be the same in France, but South Africa’s tactics are tough to beat over 80 minutes.
Most teams struggle to launch any offense, and if it can stick to its guns, South Africa is a good choice to win the Rugby World Cup with valuable Las Vegas Rugby odds.
