New Zealand and Italy meet in Lyon on Friday night in a crucial Pool A clash and we take a look at the game from a betting angle.
Outright Betting Update
South Africa and Ireland remain joint favourites at 3/1 with France 7/2 and the All Blacks 4/1. Italy are rank outsiders at 800/1 – click here for the latest outright betting
NEW ZEALAND
The All Blacks played against France in their opening game in Paris 3 weeks ago and although the bookies couldn’t separate the sides, it was France who put in a strong second-half to win 27-13. They then came out and hammered Namibia by 68 points and with Uruguay to come in their final match a victory here would send New Zealand into the quarter-finals.
New Zealand Squad
15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Tele’a, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Dalton Papali’i , 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Samuel Whitelock, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Cam Roigard, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown
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ITALY
Italy have taken maximum points from their opening games against Namibia and Uruguay. They beat Namibia 52-8 in their 1st match and were then trailing by 10 points at half-time against Uruguay before storming back to win 37-17 with a dominant 2nd half display
Italy Squad
15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Dino Lamb, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Hame Faiva, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Niccolo Cannone, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Toa Halafihi, 22 Martin Page-Relo, 23 Paolo Odogwu
HEAD-TO-HEAD
These sides last met in November 2021 when the All Blacks were too strong for Italy in Italy winning 47-9.
BETTING – Click here to bet
New Zealand 1/50
Draw 80/1
Italy 20/1
Handicap: New Zealand -27.5
Italy will show plenty of spirit but the All Blacks get the vote to put in a big performance and put a marker down ahead of the knockout rounds by covering this handicap.
Suggested Bet: Handicap, New Zealand -27.5 points at 19/20
I am also going to have a bet on the first Try Scorer market and go for New Zealand hooker, Codie Taylor and hope they get a penalty kick to the corner and Taylor is the conductor at the back of the bus as it bundles over the line.
Suggested Bet: 1st Try scorer Codie Taylor at 8/1
World Sports Betting have priced up on a number of new markets in the rugby such as most tries by forwards or backs for Italy and New Zealand, as an example Italian forwards are 11/10 to score more tries than their backs who priced at 4/6.
The market I am going to have a go at is New Zealand most tries in teams by positions 11, 14 and 15 at 37/20. For this bet to arrive we need the aggregate number of tries by the two wingers and the fullback to be more than any of the other combinations on offer.
Suggested Bet: New Zealand Most Tries by Position 11,14 and 15 at 37/20
Click here to check out the betting on the match and to try these new markets out
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
