Rugby’s global showpiece is almost upon us with the World Cup starting on the 8th of September. The opening match sees host nation France take on the pre-tournament favourites New Zealand at the iconic Stade de France in Paris, the venue for the semi-finals and the final. The excitement is building for the pinnacle event of the sport as this year promises to be one of the most open tournaments with as many as six teams capable of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup.
What the bookies say
Needless to say the World Cup has attracted plenty of attention among punters especially in rugby crazy South Africa. The Springboks are among the favourites with the whole nation hoping Siya Kolis and the boys can retain their title from 2019. If they do manage the feat, they will become the first nation to win the Cup for the fourth time. We have compared the best outright winner betting odds from the top betting sites in the country.
Who are the favourites for the title ?
The host nation France emerged as the early favourite for the title as their team is being hailed the Golden Generation with the likes of Anton Dupont and Damian Penaud. No World Cup has taken place without three time champions New Zealand being touted as a possible winner while the likes of Ireland and the Springboks not far behind as the bookies favourites. We will now take a closer look at the top teams.
New Zealand
It comes as no surprise that the bookies fancy the All Blacks as they have won three of the previous nine editions. A first ever home series loss to Ireland in 2022 saw them lose their number one ranking but they have bounced back to win the Rugby Championship this year. The All Blacks have class throughout the team but one of their weaknesses could be their ageing squad with the likes of Aaron Smith and Brodie Retallick, if they can come through the pool stages injury free then they could very well lift the title.
France
Hosts France were for long periods the pre-tournament favourites until an injury to star flyhalf Romain Ntamack put paid to his World Cup chances. They do however have an able replacement in Matthieu Jalibert although the synergy between Ntamack and Captain Anton Dupont will be sorely missed. France will be relying heavily on their inspirational Captain Anton Dupont widely regarded as the best player on the planet, to have an excellent tournament. If he plays at his best, then it would take a brave man to bet against the home team winning the title.
Ireland
Ireland are the number one ranked team in the world but the bookies only have them as third favourites. This is due to them performing poorly in previous tournaments, never progressing past the quarter finals. They will be hoping that their Captain Johnny Sexton stays injury free as they are a different team with him in the side. He will be unavailable for the opening match as he is on suspension. This could be the year for the Green Machine to lift their first ever World Cup crown with players like Sexton and Josh van der Flier in their ranks.
South Africa
The Springboks have statistically the best record at World Cups as they have won three of the seven tournaments that they have featured in with a 42.8% win record. The next best percentage win record is the All Blacks with 33.3%. Not being in the top three favourites for the title will not bother the Springboks as they entered the 2019 tournament as an underdog and walked away with the crown. They were given a massive boost when Captain Kolisi was given the all clear to play after a lengthy injury lay off. Anything is possible when Captain Courageous is at the wheel. Local punters will fancy the generous odds on the Springboks
World Cup Pools
Pool B has emerged as the Group of death as only two of Ireland, South Africa and Scotland can progress to the quarter finals. This has meant the matches between these three teams will be virtual elimination contests with Scotland being the dark horse. The top two are then expected to face either France or New Zealand in the quarter finals. The tournament winner could well be decided in these clashes.
Rugby World Cup Top Try Scorer Odds
South Africa World Cup Stage of Elimination Odds
Winner odds
5.55
Runner Up Odds
6.00
Semi Final Odds
7.00
Quarter Final Odds
1.83
To win Pool B
2.00
Fail to Qualify from Pool
9.00
South Africa Rugby World Cup Fixtures
Sunday, 10 September – Springboks v Scotland (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)
Sunday, 17 September – Springboks v Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
Saturday, 23 September – Springboks v Ireland (Stade de France, Paris)
Sunday, 1 October – Springboks v Tonga (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)
Weekend of 14/15 October – Quarterfinals
Weekend of 21/22 October – Semifinals
Saturday, 28 October – Final
Best Betting Offer on the World Cup
Betway has an incredible offer for punters that back the Springboks to win the title. They offer a Risk Free Bet of up to R1 000 when you back the Boks. If South Africa do not lift the crown, then you will receive your stake back as a free bet.
FAQ
Who will win the Rugby World Cup 2023
The bookies favour the All Blacks but we fancy hosts France due to their familiarity of the home conditions
Who will score the most tries at the Rugby World Cup?
Will Jordan is the bookies favourite and with a record of 22 tries in 22 matches, few will bet against the prolific winger topping the try scoring charts.
What are the important dates for the Rugby World Cup?
The opening match of the World Cup is on the 8th September with the pool stages ending on the 8th October. The quarter finals will be played from the 14th and 15th October with the semi-finals due to take place on the 20th and 21 October. The Championship match will be played on the 28th October.
Where will the Rugby World Cup Final be played?
The final will be played at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis on the 28th October.
Sports crazy fan that follows all major sport but the game with the oval ball is my real passion. Was an age level rugby coach and a huge supporter of the Springboks and diehard Liverpool man. I’m an experienced punter and sports writer whose predictions/tips are sure to stir up the emotions. I love the occasional wager on the underdog.
