2023 Rugby World Cup Betting Odds, Predictions, and Picks

New Zealand holds a slim lead in the latest Rugby World Cup betting odds. France is also among the main favorites, followed by reigning champion South Africa. There’s not much separation between these three teams.

Ireland is also a major contender in this tournament. Australia rounds out the top five teams in the betting odds that I have taken from Bovada, one of the top sports betting sites online.

Pool A is mainly a two-way race between New Zealand and France. Both teams will enter the tournament in peak form and also rank inside the top 4 of the men’s World Rugby Rankings.

Let’s first begin with France. This country has all the makings of a World Cup champion. The nation also gets to host the tournament, giving them the advantage of playing at home. I expect the fans to show up in huge numbers once the competition gets going.

France is a physically dominant team that can do a lot of damage. They win scrums consistently and can maul their opponents into oblivion. The team’s captain, Antoine Dupont, is arguably the best rugby player on earth.

New Zealand is another talented team that could win the tournament. They’re also extremely physical and will get aggressive when necessary. The All Blacks have won three World Cup titles, which is tied for the most in history.

Can Italy or Uruguay have an impact on Pool A? I doubt it because Australia and New Zealand are both juggernauts when it comes to rugby. It’s also unlikely that Namibia will be competitive at all in Pool A.

It’s hard to split the two favorites, but I prefer France because of the home advantage.

Here’s another pool in which two elite teams – Ireland and South Africa – are competing. Both countries will try to outdo each other to claim Pool B. Ireland holds the top rugby ranking in the world, but South Africa isn’t far behind.

Let’s start with Ireland, a team with incredibly high expectations entering the tournament. The nation recently won against several prominent teams, including Italy and England. They look almost unbeatable at the moment.

Ireland is extremely well-rounded. They attack effectively in different ways and often use their physicality to their advantage. The biggest criticism against Ireland, however, is that they tend to struggle at the World Cup.

South Africa will also give every country in Pool B a run for their money. The team is physically imposing, and as the reigning World Cup champion, there’s no shortage of motivation and confidence. If Handre Pollard also returns to the lineup, South Africa’s attack will be pretty powerful.

Tonga has a talented backline, but overall, their attack is lacking. Romania is simply outmatched by all the other teams. Ultimately, the country I believe will win Pool B is Ireland because of their tenacity and determination.

The only true World Cup contender in Pool C is Australia. They’re the only team in this group that has a title from 1999. It’s been a while since Australia has been on top and lifting that trophy again would be massive.

There’s a lot to like about Australia’s chances. The team has proven to be competitive against other top countries, including New Zealand and Argentina. Unfortunately, Australia also suffered a humiliating defeat against South Africa in July.

Wales is a solid team and the most likely contender to the top spot, besides Australia. There’s a good mixture of talented young players and veterans as well on the roster. Wales secured victories over England and Italy in recent fixtures, showing potential going into the tournament.

However, it feels inevitable that Wales will struggle in the tournament, especially against teams like Fiji that have enough athleticism and raw power to challenge every team in Pool C.

Australia’s chances of winning Pool C are high because the other countries are considerably weaker. The only true challenger here is Wales. Fiji also has a good team, but I don’t think they’re very impressive overall. Georgia and Portugal will both struggle to compete with the big dogs.

Here’s another pool in which we have two clear favorites. England should have the edge over Argentina, although I think they’re closely matched. The two teams will try to pummel each other once things get going.

Is England the best team in Pool D? Yes, but the absence of Luke Cowan-Dickie really hurts them. He’s easily the best frontline hooker in the country. Cowan-Dickie’s Premiership career includes 154 appearances and 195 points.

Jamie George will replace Cowan-Dickie. He’s got size and agility, but he doesn’t bring a ton of power. England’s front row won’t be the same without Cowan-Dickie, and it’ll take a full team effort to win Pool D.

Argentina won’t make it easy for England in Pool C either. They’re just as talented and can lean on several quality players to win games. Argentina often lacks discipline, but head coach Michael Cheika also knows how to utilize his players.

When betting on the Rugby World Cup, make sure you consider targeting Argentina. This team has victories over England and Australia in the past year. There’s simply no guarantee that England will finish on top in Pool D.

Is Japan competitive enough to hang with England and Argentina? May be, but winning Pool C will require a monumental effort. Rugby in Japan is trending in the right direction, but the team is still way behind the competition.

Samoa and Chile are the other two teams competing in Pool C. I’ll be honest – their chances aren’t looking very good. Chile will make its debut at the Rugby World Cup in 2023. This is Samoa’s ninth appearance, but it’s been nothing but early exits since 2003.

All things considered, England is the logical choice, but the odds are not high enough. I don’t see a good Rugby World Cup betting pick in this pool.