4 minutes Here at betting.bet we’ll preview all four matches, providing the best match and outright odds as well as the latest free bet offers from our betting partners at BoyleSports.
The Rugby World Cup’s thrilling pool stage has drawn to a close and the eight quarter-finalists are now confirmed. Australia and Scotland were the biggest pool stage casualties with four mouth-watering quarter-final matches to look forward to this coming weekend. Here at betting.bet we’ll preview all four matches, providing the best match and outright odds as well as the latest free bet offers from our betting partners at BoyleSports.
Saturday 14th October
Wales v Argentina (16:00)
The opening quarter-final match of the weekend will see Wales take on Argentina in Marseille. Wales topped Pool C, thanks to wins over Fiji (32-26), Portugal (28-8), Australia (40-6) and Georgia (43-19).
Wales’ record-breaking win over Australia was particularly impressive however, this was an Australia side that finished rock-bottom of the Rugby Championship less than three months ago.
Opponents, Argentina are looking for a first Rugby World Cup win over Wales having lost to Saturday’s opponents in both 1991 and 1999.
The Pumas reached the knockout stage as Pool D runners-up. Having lost 27-10 to England, also in Marseille, Argentina earned successive wins over Samoa (19-10), Chile (59-5) and Japan (39-27).
Of the eight quarter-finalists, Fiji scored fewer pool stage points than Wales and Argentina. We could be therefore set for a low-scoring match to kick off the weekend’s action. Under 40.5 match points is a solid bet at 6/5.
Match Odds
- Wales: 4/7
- Draw: 20/1
- Argentina: 6/4
Ireland v New Zealand (20:00)
Two of the competition’s outright favourites meet at the Stade de France on Saturday evening as Ireland take on the All Blacks in the second quarter-final. The match brings together this year’s Six Nations and Rugby Championship winners.
Ireland are the market leaders in the outright betting having escaped the ‘pool of death’ with a perfect record of four wins from four. Ireland started their tournament with big wins over Romania (82-8) and Tonga (59-16) before booking their place in the last-eight with wins over current world champions, South Africa (13-8) and world number five, Scotland (36-14).
New Zealand finished Pool A in second place following an opening day defeat to hosts, France (27-13), however, this year’s Rugby Championship winners have bounced back in typical style. The All Blacks were the highest-scoring nation in the pool stage thanks to dominant wins over Namibia (71-3), Italy (96-17) and Uruguay (73-0).
The All Blacks have built up some considerable momentum in recent matches and you have to wonder how much the gruelling pool stage fixtures have taken out of Ireland. We’re going against the bookies at the Stade de France and backing New Zealand to book their place in the semi-final.
Match Odds
- Ireland: 8/11
- Draw: 20/1
- New Zealand: 5/4
Sunday 15th October
England v Fiji (16:00)
Fiji are the surprise package in the knockout stage having progressed from Pool C at the expense of two-time world champions, Australia. Fiji’s 22-15 win over Australia would not have come as too much of a surprise to anybody who saw them run Wales close in their opening fixture. The Pacific Islanders were one dropped catch away from scoring a late winner in their 32-26 defeat to the Welsh.
England came from 17-8 down to win 18-17 in their last pool game against Samoa however, by then their place in the knockout stage had already been guaranteed thanks to wins against Argentina, Japan (34-12) and Chile (71-0).
Inevitably, England will go into Sunday’s quarter-final fixture as favourites but the 2003 world champions will not underestimate the Fijians having lost 30-22 when the nations met at Twickenham less than two months ago. England -8 in the handicap betting looks a solid option at Evens.
Match Odds
- England: 1/3
- Draw: 20/1
- Fiji: 12/5
France v South Africa (20:00)
The hosts against the holders; France take on South Africa in the fourth quarter-final match of the weekend and it promises to be a bruising encounter. The two nations reached the quarter-final boasting the two meanest defences in the pool stage. Between them, France and South Africa conceded just 66 points across a combined eight pool games.
France topped Pool A thanks to wins against New Zealand (27-13), Uruguay (27-12), Namibia (96-0) and Italy (60-7). The hosts have received a boost with captain and 2021 World Player of the Year, Antoine Dupont set to start on Sunday just three weeks since sustaining a fractured cheekbone.
South Africa finished runners-up in Pool B with three wins and one loss in their four matches. The Springboks were edged out 13-8 by Ireland in their third pool match but progressed with wins over Scotland (18-3), Romania (76-0) and Tonga (49-18).
If the Dupont fitness gamble pays off he could prove the difference on Sunday so we’re tipping the hosts to come through the fourth quarter-final at a price of 3/4.
Match Odds
- France: 3/4
- Draw: 18/1
- South Africa: 5/4
Rugby World Cup Outright Odds
- Ireland: 11/4
- France: 3/1
- South Africa: 7/2
- New Zealand: 4/1
- England: 12/1
- Wales: 20/1
- Argentina: 50/1
- Fiji: 70/1
Sign up to BoyleSports to get a welcome free bet and the latest rugby betting offers.