The Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend with South Africa hosting the Wallabies at Ellis Park and the Pumas taking on the New Zealand side at Cordoba.
There have been some strong sides named, so let’s not waste any time getting into our best bets for the two games this weekend.
The Wallabies have just won one of their last five games against the Springboks and now they walk into Ellis Park taking on the World Champs.
They’re fresh off the Lions series which they can take some successes from, especially their win in game three. Will there be a hangover though when they arrive in South Africa?
South Africa hasn’t been tested this year, facing Japan, Italy, the Barbarians and Georgia, so this will be their first real test.
Best Bet: Australia +17.5 | $1.90
It’s been a weird buildup for the Springboks, but there is no doubt they’ll be fully focused on this Wallabies side. They’ve named a strong side bit questions around Manie Libbok starting at 10. But of course, Rassie Erasmus has named a powerful side otherwise.
However, it is the Australians who come in with more form and game time under their belts.
James O’Conner has received the surprise call up in the green and gold and will run the cutter at 10. It feels like the perfect move because they will need every bit of experience at Ellis Park.
I don’t think the Boks will be rusty but I do think the Aussies will be able to hang in and keep this closer than the line suggests.
Next Best: Under 54.5 Total Points | $2.70
The Wallabies have come off a grinder of a series where this line was only cleared once. It’s also not been cleared in any of the last five meetings between these two teams.
For the Boks, they’ll look to settle in, and the Wallabies won’t shy away. I think the under feels like the right move.
SGM: | $16.07
- South Africa 1-12
- Under 54.5 Total Points
- Malcolm Marx Anytime Try Scorer
Best Bet: Will Jordan to Score & New Zealand 13+ | $3.80
My best bet for this game is one of the betcha boosts. New Zealand will want to start their campaign off strong. The forwards need to dominate for this to be an ABs win, and I think they will.
A strong pack should be able to match that of the Argentines, and then the backs can get to work.
Will Jordan was lights out against the French and I’d expect no different from the New Zealand fullback.
Next Best: Under 7.5 Total Tries | $1.80
I ran the numbers on the last five head-to-heads, expecting this line to be cleared in four, if not all five of those meetings.
With the scorelines of 42-10, 38-30, 44-6, 41-12 & 53-3 you’d think there would have been many more than seven tries on those matches. That’s where I was wrong.
The only time there was eight or more tries was in the New Zealand 41-12 win. The rest… saw bang on seven tries. Mostly because the Pumas have struggled to score against New Zealand.
SGM: | $7.25
- New Zealand -8.5
- New Zealand Over 4.5 Total Tries
- Beauden Barrett Anytime Try Scorer