Rugby World Cup Quarter Final Betting Tips and Preview
By Alex Brinton
Latest Rugby World Cup Odds12 October 2023
After five weeks of intense competition, we have reached the quarter-final stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The fact that World Rugby conducted the draw for the group stage in December 2020, has meant that the four favourites for the tournament find themselves facing each other this weekend.
All four quarter-finals are northern v southern hemisphere affairs. The south has typically dominated Rugby World Cups, winning nine of the ten tournaments to have taken place - England’s 2003 triumph the solo win for the north.
Wales v Argentina
Kick off: 4:00pm - Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Wales have been a bit of a surprise so far in this tournament. They entered it just hoping to get out of the group, but they have found themselves at the top of it having won four from four.
Argentina were disappointing in their opening game defeat at the hands of England. Despite getting to this stage they haven't lived up to their pre-tournament expectations.
This match will also see two of the most experienced coaches in the tournament in Michael Cheika and Warren Gatland go head-to-head. Wales will miss veteran number 8 Taulupe Faletau who broke his arm in the match against Georgia last weekend.
Ireland v New Zealand
Kick off: 8:00pm - Stade de France, Paris
Ireland face New Zealand on Saturday night in a game that promises to be an absolute barnstormer. The Irish are the no.1 team in the world and they have won 17 games in a row, but the All Blacks are the All Blacks and underestimate them at your peril.
After a disappointing loss to France on the opening night, the most famous team in rugby has rallied and, thanks to some dazzling attacking rugby they end the group stage with the highest point differential of any team.
New Zealand were the last team to beat Ireland back in the summer of 2022 but the Irish won’t be intimidated, they have won four of their last seven matches against the All Blacks.
Ireland will also equal England and New Zealand’s joint-record for consecutive number of international matches won in a row if they come out on top on Saturday night.
Ireland @ 1.83
New Zealand @ 2.38
England v Fiji
Kick off: 4:00pm - Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
We head back south to Marseille on Saturday afternoon for England’s quarter-final against Fiji.
Apart from a strong performance in this stadium in their opening match against Argentina, England’s performances have failed to inspire a great deal of confidence. They were very lucky to beat Samoa last weekend and maintain their perfect record.
The Fijians have played some fantastic rugby in this tournament and have been dubbed as everyone’s second favourite team. Despite losing two games in the group stage of the tournament most notably to Portugal, they will go into this one confident after beating England for the first time at Twickenham a matter of weeks ago.
England are more than capable of winning this match if they play like they did against Argentina, but will come up short if they turn in the sort of performance they did against Samoa.
France v South Africa
Kick off: 8:00pm - Stade de France, Paris
The announcement that Antoine Dupont was cleared to return to training on Monday gave a massive boost to the team and their supporters. The mercurial scrum-half and captain suffered a fractured cheekbone in the host’s win over Namibia.
The French were very impressive in their opening night win over New Zealand and they will need another performance from the top drawer to beat South Africa. South Africa’s bruising physicality will test France like no other team and they won’t show Dupont any mercy.
With the return of Handre Pollard to the team in their last match they corrected their poor goal-kicking which cost them the game against Ireland.
Last time the two sides faced off France came out on top. But that win in Marseille last November, is their only win in their past five meetings.
France @ 1.85
South Africa @ 2.34
Back all the Northern Hemisphere teams to win @ 6.8
Back all the Southern Hemisphere teams to win @ 60