Wales Rugby World Cup Odds: Dragons A Big Outside Bet To Win Webb Ellis Cup
After surviving a stern challenge from Fiji to get their campaign up and running at Stade de Bordeaux last Sunday, UK betting sites are once again looking at how likely it is that Wales could win the Rugby World Cup in France.
Semi-finalists on three occasions in the previous editions of the tournament – 1987, 2011 and 2019 – the Dragons do have a certain pedigree when it comes to the World Cup that players, coaches and supporters alike will hope can shine through over the next few weeks.
The Fijians posed a potential banana skin for the Welsh in their Pool C opener at the weekend, particularly on the back of their impressive victory over England in a warm-up clash at Twickenham Stadium on August 26.
While it was all of 16 years ago, Fiji also claimed a pool stage win at the expense of Wales at the 2007 World Cup.
Although the personnel is entirely different on this occasion, the Oceania nation knew that another repeat result against the 2023 version of the Dragons would go a long way towards returning them to the knockout rounds of the tournament for the first time since that World Cup.
Wales Hold Out For Victory Over Fiji
Back then, Wales – under the stewardship of Gareth Jenkins – looked set to edge out Fiji at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes and advance to the last-eight of the competition.
That was until Fijian loosehead prop Graham Dewes pounced for a converted try on 77 minutes and dashed the hopes of their much-fancied opponents.
It was very close to being a case of deja vu in Bordeaux on Sunday with the current Welsh team being forced on the back-foot by a Fiji side that were chasing down a six-point lead.
In the end, however, the Pacific Nations Cup outfit couldn’t secure another try to go along with the four they had already conjured and Wales ultimately held out for a 32-26 success.
Gatland In His Second Stint As Welsh Head Coach
When you consider the run of form they had been on, it can’t be underestimated how much of a boost this win was for the Welsh – even if it did little to improve their Rugby World Cup odds.
This was only the third victory from nine tests since Warren Gatland returned to the hot seat towards the end of 2022 and the New Zealander’s re-appointment came about in the wake of a difficult run for his predecessor and fellow compatriot Wayne Pivac.
Despite winning the Six Nations Championship and a Triple Crown during his reign, Pivac (who guided Welsh region Scarlets to a Guinness Pro12 title in 2016/17) recorded just 13 wins from 34 games in charge of the national side and was on the receiving end of humbling defeats to the likes of Italy and Georgia.
Gatland has found it difficult to get Wales back to their previous level of competitiveness, but as the man who guided Wales to the last-four of the 2011 and 2019 World Cups (not to mention three Six Nations Grand Slams) there was always a feeling he might be able to get things right in time for the tournament in France.
Wales Still Viewed As Outsiders For Webb Ellis Glory
The result could well have gone against them last weekend, but the maximum haul of five points garnered against Fiji has bolstered their prospects of reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup.
Yet Wales were favourites with the best betting sites for rugby union to come through the Fijian test and with very little to separate them in the end, there hasn’t been a significant shortening of odds on them winning the Webb Ellis Cup at the end of October.
Prior to facing Fiji, the shortest odds on them winning the World Cup was 30/1, but the majority of bookmakers offered odds of 40/1 on Wales claiming their maiden World Cup title.
Coral apparently saw enough in the Fiji game to believe they are in with an outside chance of glory providing a current value of 20/1 on Wales winning the tournament.
However, the bulk of UK bookmakers only see a Welsh World Cup triumph as a 33/1 likelihood for now.
Wales Move Back Up The Rankings As A Result Of Victory
Nevertheless, the mood within the Welsh camp will be significantly lifted and with their opponents in Nice on Saturday (Portugal) rated at 5,000/1 to win the World Cup by betting apps, it is anticipated they will win back-to-back internationals for the first time since November 2021.
Additionally, their win on Sunday has also moved them up the world rankings.
Having found themselves in 10th spot before the tournament started (their lowest placing in 16 years), Wales are now up to eighth place with 80.66 points.
Fiji had been three spots above them in advance of their meeting in Bordeaux, but are now below Gatland’s men in ninth.
Still Plenty Of Know-How Within Welsh Squad
Despite the loss of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb to international retirement earlier this year, a lot of quality and experience remains within the Welsh ranks.
Taulupe Faletau, Dan Biggar, George North and Leigh Halfpenny are all international centurions with the latter being the only one of this quartet not to feature against Fiji.
Fly-half Biggar contributed 12 points from the kicking tee, while North contributed a crucial try on 29 minutes.
There is a potency to their back-three of Liam Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams with Gareth Davies also on hand to provide an assured presence at half-back alongside Biggar.
Australia and Georgia will offer a sterner resistance when they meet them on September 24 and October 7 respectively, but Wales will believe that another win this weekend can put them in the right frame of mind for those exciting battles.