All Blacks Rugby World Cup Odds: New Zealand Second Favourites To Win It
t is almost impossible to separate them, but for the time being, New Zealand remain second favourites behind host country France to win this year’s World Cup in the eyes of betting sites.
Despite coming off second best to Ireland on their tour of the southern hemisphere nation last summer (an historic first for the Green Army), the All Blacks did secure The Rugby Championship title a number of weeks later.
While it wasn’t without its tribulations – defeats to South Africa and Argentina threatened to derail their campaign – they eventually held off a strong challenge from the Springboks to claim top honours in the tournament for a third year running.
World Cup Set To Be Foster’s Last Hurrah
This seemed to lift some of the pressure off the shoulders of their head coach Ian Foster, who had a previous seven-year stint as an assistant to his predecessor Steve Hansen.
Yet following a review that was undertaken after their loss to the South Africans in the opening phase of The Rugby Championship, a number of changes were made to the All Blacks coaching staff and Foster was only given a backing until this autumn’s World Cup.
This tournament will ultimately see him bowing out with the Putāruru native making it clear that wasn’t going to be re-applying for the job.
Having been interested in the post when Hansen stepped down in the wake of a third-place finish at the 2019 World Cup, Crusaders coach Scott Robertson is set to assume the reins from Foster on a four-year contract once the 2023 finals in France reach a conclusion.
How things develop from here will be interesting. This could galvanise the All Blacks to ensure the current regime ends successfully or the fact that they know Foster won’t be there for the start of 2024 could have a negative impact on the squad.
Truncated Rugby Championship Will Provide Sense Of All Blacks’ Hopes
The best rugby betting sites are finding it difficult to know exactly where New Zealand are at present as we haven’t seen them in action since November 19 of last year.
Their 25-25 draw against England on that day was preceded by a run of six wins on the bounce, so it certainly isn’t all doom and gloom for the All Blacks.
Though there will only be three games in this year’s tournament (as is customary in a World Cup year), New Zealand kick-start their Rugby Championship campaign for 2023 with an away clash against Argentina at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza on July 8.
It will be a short and sharp series of games, but it will nonetheless give a strong indication of the kind of form the All Blacks will bring into the World Cup.
France Favourites, But New Zealand Right On Their Tails
Because they earned a respectable second-place with four wins from five in this year’s Six Nations, France are slight favourites at the moment to win the World Cup for the first time.
The fact they are on home soil is also pivotal and probably explains why bookmakers are rating them at 11/4 in the 2023 Rugby World Cup betting.
This year New Zealand seek to become the first country to win the Rugby World Cup on four different occasions.
Bet365 have them at odds of 3/1 to do just that and when you consider their pedigree in the tournament, there is every chance Foster’s men will be in the shake-up.
Pool Stage Opener Between The Two Main Contenders
We’ll get an immediate sense of how good a match France and New Zealand are with the two teams set to meet at Saint-Denis in the opening game of Pool A on September 8.
Italy, Uruguay and Namibia are also in this group, but you suspect the winner of that tournament curtain-raiser will emerge as the winner of the pool.
Should both sides make it to the knockout rounds, their opponents will most likely be one of South Africa, Ireland and Scotland from Pool B.
Tough Last-Eight Encounters Would Await All Blacks
Whereas the Scots are a vastly-improving outfit, there is an even higher danger in the challenge of their group rivals.
The Springboks are the reigning champions, while the Irish recently claimed a Six Nations Grand Slam and are the number one ranked team in the world.
Whoever New Zealand meet in the last-eight, betting apps expect to be put to the pin of their collar.
However, should the result go their way, then you certainly feel momentum might be with them heading into the last-four and potentially beyond that point as well.