Mathematically, no team was absolutely sure on Monday of making the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals. But to be realistic heading into the final round of pool games this week, this was hardly the case. And New Jersey’s close-on 20 online and Casino sportsbooks were well aware of it.
Here’s how FanDuel, the State’s sportsbook market leader, had the leading winner odds on Monday morning.
New Zealand +110, South Africa +430, England +470, Wales +1000, Ireland +1400, Australia +2200, France +2000, Japan +6500 and Scotland 16000.
Other Garden State sportsbooks had some minor variations. 888sport, for instance, had South Africa and England as joint second-favorites at +400, but differences were mostly minor.
Weighing-up everything we know, it looks to us as if the only pool still with an uncertain outcome is Pool A.
Japan, Ireland, and Scotland all in the running
Here, any one of three rugby teams, including Japan, current unbeaten darlings of the host nation, is still in the running.
Scotland’s matches against Russia and Japan and Ireland’s remaining game against Samoa could all be hugely significance in this Pool. Otherwise, it should be plain sailing for the other six quarter-finalists.
- In Pool B, it’s pretty certain who’ll qualify for the quarter-finals. It just has to be three-time winners and reigning champions New Zealand and two-time winners South Africa.
- In Pool C, it’s already certain to be England, a one-time champion, and France, a runner-up.
- And in Pool D, Wales and Australia, another two-time winner, are most unlikely to be stopped.
In Pool A, meanwhile, Japan, darlings of the host nation, are unexpectedly perched atop the pool with an unbeaten record after their shock defeat of Ireland.
Yet Scotland, though well beaten by Ireland, the pre-tournament Pool A favorites, could still kill Japan’s dreams. And that’s not entirely out of the question.
But let’s look at the nuts and bolts of each individual Rugby pool.
Pool A
Current table in points:
Japan 14
Ireland 11
Scotland 5
Samoa 5
Russia nil.
In this pool, everything depends on this week’s results. Except for Wales, Scotland is the only other team with two games still to play. And if they beat Russia with a bonus point as they should, they will only be a point behind Ireland and four behind Japan.
If Japan holds up against the odds and defeats Scotland, Sunday, they will go through as A Section winners.
If, however, Scotland wins with a bonus point, they’ll be the team going through. They could even finish tops in Pool A if Ireland fails to pick up a bonus point against Samoa.
If both Ireland and Scotland win without a bonus point, we’ll have a three-way tie. For and against points will then decide whether Japan, Ireland or Scotland make the quarter-finals – and in which order.
Some Pool games still to be played: Scotland v Russia (Wednesday), Ireland v Samoa (Saturday), Japan v Scotland (Sunday).
Pool A forecast: 1 Ireland, 2 Japan, 3 Scotland, 4 Samoa, 5 Russia.
Pool B
Current Table:
New Zealand 14.
South Africa 10
Italy 10
Canada nil
Namibia nil
After their hard-fought victory over South Africa and their crushing win over Namibia, no team is more certain of making the quarter-finals than reigning champions New Zealand.
Italy is currently tied in second place with the Springboks, but their final match is against New Zealand, where even a losing bonus point looks out of the question.
South Africa, meanwhile, has the heavy artillery to blast its way to a big bonus-points win against Canada.
With Pool A still a giant question mark, it’s not clear who the All Blacks and Springboks will play in the quarters. It could be anyone of Japan, Ireland or Scotland.
Pool B games still to be played: South Africa v Canada (Tuesday), New Zealand v Italy (Saturday), Namibia v Canada (Sunday).
Pool B rugby forecast:
1 New Zealand, 2 South Africa, 3 Italy, 4 Canada, 5 Namibia.
Pool C
Current table:
England 15
France 13
Argentina 6
Tonga nil
US nil.
England and France with three wins each have already qualified. They have still to play each other on Saturday but the result will only decide which of the two tops their pool.
It should be Eddie Jones’ rampant England. They’ve picked up bonus points in all their victories while the Tricolors battled to edge out Argentina and underdogs Tonga.
Argentina was hoping to once again qualify for the quarter-finals as they did in 2015. But after France held them in a critical first-round battle, England blew them away (39-10) and that was that. The emotional Pumas never looked like beating the English, but a silly red card didn’t exactly help their cause.
Games still to play: Argentina v US (Wednesday), England v France (Saturday), US v Tonga (Sunday).
Pool C Forecast: 1 England, 2 France, 3 Argentina, 4 USA, 5 Tonga.
Pool D
Current position
Australia 11
Wales 9
Fiji 7
Georgia 5
Uruguay 4
Australia rugby currently heads the Pool D table with 11 points. However, Wales, who beat them 29-25 earlier this month, still have two games to play against the Wallabies’ one.
Fiji could make it tough for them on Wednesday, but the Islanders haven’t done enough to suggest they can stop the seasoned Welshmen’s unbeaten run.
And you can say the same thing about new boys, Uruguay, who play Wales on Sunday.
Before then on Friday, Australia should have carried too much backline fire-power for Georgia and should have qualified to play England in the quarters with Wales taking on the easier option of France.
Pool C games still to be played: Wales v Fiji (Wednesday), Australia v Georgia (Friday) and Wales v Uruguay (Sunday).
Pool D forecast:
1 Wales, 2 Australia, 3 Fiji, 4 Georgia, 5 Uruguay.
