Rugby World Cup Odds: What Are The Odds On England Winning The Rugby World Cup?
Given how the past few months have transpired, it comes as little surprise that betting sites have begun to cast doubt over England’s ability to challenge for this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.
Winners of the tournament in 2003, the English also reached the showpiece deciders of 2007 and 2019 – losing out to South Africa on both occasions.
Whereas he was a consultant when the Springboks secured the World Cup title 16 years ago, Eddie Jones was head coach of England for the most recent edition of the global rugby spectacle.
While he also guided them to a Six Nations Championship and an Autumn Nations Cup in 2020, the following couple of years saw Jones coming under increased pressure in the role.
Poor Form Caused Change In English Coaching Structure
After recording just four wins from 10 games across the Six Nations campaigns of 2021 and 2022, the heat was coming on the Australian in advance of England’s summer tour of his home nation in the latter year.
A 2-1 series victory over the Wallabies was much-needed for Jones and his charges and this helped to keep them as third favourites amongst the best betting sites for rugby union for the World Cup with odds of 5/1 generally available on the English.
However, a difficult Autumn Nations Series saw Eddie Jones being relieved of his duties with his former assistant coach Steve Borthwick stepping into the breach.
Though a certain bounce might have been expected, it was perhaps unrealistic to anticipate a major reversal in fortunes for this year’s Championship.
England Fall Down In World Cup Betting
For the third year in succession, they registered just two wins from five matches and finished fourth in the overall standings.
The constant search for form has affected their chances in the eyes of UK bookmakers and they have now slipped below Grand Slam winners Ireland and aforementioned world champions South Africa in the betting stakes.
France and New Zealand were already ahead of them, and the erratic performances delivered by England throughout the spring international window ensured this remained the case.
The shortest odds available on an English World Cup win is 7/1. This admittedly doesn’t represent a major drop-off, but there are longer prices on offer for England.
BoyleSports are even providing a value of 10/1 on a repeat of the 2003 World Cup and though there are still several months before the tournament gets underway, current form suggests England mightn’t be able to replicate their past feats.
England Could Still Upset The Odds
That said, it would be foolish to completely rule England out of the equation and there are a couple of reasons for this.
Aside from their exploits in the tournament as recently as four years ago, England are on the opposite side of the draw to the four teams currently ahead of them in the 2023 Rugby World Cup betting.
They will find themselves in Pool D alongside Japan, Argentina, Samoa and Chile.
England are still more than capable of beating all these teams and even if one of their four pool stage games don’t go their way, the likelihood is that a quarter-final spot – at the very least – is on the cards.
In Pool C, Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal are all vying for two knockout places.
A lot of the nations in these pools have endured a level of turmoil that either matches or surpasses that of England, so it is more than likely that at least one team that has changed their head coach over the course of this World Cup cycle will have a semi-final to look forward to.
Positive Signs In Defeat To Ireland
If the English were to produce any performance that resembled their 53-10 reversal at the hands of France in the fourth round of the Six Nations, then their World Cup will ultimately end in disappointment.
Yet there was considerable encouragement to be taken from their most recent game against Ireland.
While Ireland came away with a 29-16 victory that secured a Grand Slam title, but England caused them several problems throughout the contest.
They also had to play the entire second half with 14 players after Freddie Steward was red-carded – a decision that has since been overturned.
Borthwick will also have had a lot more time to get his processes in place for the start of the World Cup in September and this could lead betting apps to believe that England are a dangerous proposition in France.