Summer Rugby Internationals

[crookycymru]

The summer test match friendlies began on Saturday with Australia defeating Ireland, and a very brave Scottish team going down by a narrow margin to South Africa.

I passed on both games, but will open my summer betting activity with the following match.

New Zealand Maoris vs England (08:30 am GMT)

The only previous fixture between these sides, resulted in a 62-14 victory for the Maoris back in 1998. Do not think that the result will be anywhere near that scoreline tomorrow morning, but the victory may go to the same side.
The Maoris are a fiercely proud New Zealand team which can boast a number of All Blacks, as well as a handful of players who would walk into virtually any other test team, had they not been playing their rugby in New Zealand. Matches against touring teams are often treated as one off 'test' matches for most of the Maoris, which results in a number of players playing out of their skins, and giving their opposition of one their hardest games of the year.
Tomorrows match up is unlikely to be any different, but what is so attractive about this game is that a large number of players from each team will be playing for places in their countries World Cup squad at the end of the year. The Maoris are captained by All Black Taine Randell, and as well as boasting super star Christian Cullen in their back line, they field a team with a large number of high quality Super 12 players. England meanwhile, field a team with plenty of international experience.
The game will be of contrasting styles. The Maoris will attempt to play the fifteen man expansive game, while England will look to keep things tight, and let their all powerful front five dominate. However this is will be difficult against the Maoris. The atmosphere will be intimidating enough, but put this against a team who have not long got off a 24 hour flight, and are at the end of a long season of European rugby, then you have to feel the edge lies with the Maoris in this game, where most players have finished their Super 12 seasons, over three weeks ago. The Maoris will be fully prepared for England, and with a easy victory over Tonga last weekend, under their belts can oblige to beat England by more than a try.

1 Point New Zealand Maoris (-4) at 5/6 with William Hill

 

[kickserv]

good luck buddy

 

[crookycymru]

South Africa vs Scotland (Johannesburg, South Africa, 13:00 GMT)

The Scots take their tour from Durban to Johannesburg. Although the Scots stunned many with their performance last weekend, one has to remember that if they had been a team of any real class, they would have closed out that match, instead of letting the Springboks claim a comeback victory. It is easy to over estimate the current South African team, as traditonally they turn out strong test teams year in year out. However, South African rugby is in a bit of a crisis at the moment, but they will be pleased that they can go and play at their big hunting ground, Ellis Park in Johannesburg, on Saturday, and face a team pretty unaccustomed to playing at altitude.
What was noteworthy from last weekends test, was the fact that South Africa rallied in the final minutes to claim a 29-25 test win. This has to raise questions about Scotlands fitness, and playing at altitude, they will have to be on top of their fitness for a full 80 minutes.
You can expect the Boks to improve on last weeks game, and claim the easy scalp of Scotland tomorrow. They should look to release more ball to the backs, while any ill discipline on the Scots part, can be punished by fly half Louis Koen, who is more than a astute goal kicker.
The spread of a couple of tries looks well within South Africas reach, and playing at altitude, they have a huge advantage over Scotland who can expect to lose touch in the final twenty minutes.

2 Points South Africa (-13) at 1.90 with www.canbet.com

 

[crookycymru]

Finally, I am passing on the England-New Zealand match. I did see a prop bet I liked early in the week, where it was a match bet between Carlos Spencer (NZ) and Johnny Wilkinson (Eng) priced at 8/11, 1/1 in favour of Spencer. I would definitely had taken Wilkinson here, but it seems Bet365 have taken down that prop bet. :shrug: Must add I was very impressed with a supposedly second string England who defeated the Maoris earlier in the week. Although the bad weather played straight into their hands, they did really dominate the match, and the score perhaps suggests this was not the case.

Also passing on Australia-Wales, where I expect Wales to get a drubbing. However, backing for or against Wales has cost me money last season, so I will steer clear while it is hard to predict how Wales will play.

May have a play on tomorrows Argentina-France game.

 

[kickserv]

good luck Gareth

 

[crookycymru]

South Africa vs Australia (15:00, Cape Town, South Africa)

The Tri Nations starts today in a fascinating clash between two sleeping giants of world rugby. The Tri Nations was once the showpiece of world rugby in terms of standards, but as the Northern hemisphere grip closes on world rugby, it has to prove that it can better the Six Nations or even the World Cup.
Today, we see two teams who are a shadow of the teams they have been in years gone by. The Springboks are fielding possibly the worst team they have had in years, certainly, since their reintroduction to World Rugby, where they once ruled the world, and playing in South Africa was as intimidating as it gets. How things have changed....two close wins over the hopeless Scots, and lucky to get away with defeating the Pumas, they surely cannot depend on that form to defeat the Wallabies.
The Wallabies themselves are still smarting by their crushing to England, but one has to realise they were fielding a massively depleted team, and can call on a little more experience this time around.
In the build up, both coaches have played down this game as the build up to the World Cup starts. Forget it, any team who performs in the Tri Nations will be in good shape to go to the Wordl Cup. True, the teams may experiment with players, but the intensity will be there as ever. Bearing in mind, that this is Australias first competitive game for a good while, there is bound to be a bit of ring rust, and the fact that Cape Town is prone to a bit of bad weather which can play havoc with handicap betting, is why I am hammering the money line on this game, while making a smaller play on the Wallaby cover.

5 Points Win Australia at 4/9 with EuroBet

1 Point Win Australia (-6) at 5/6 with Eurobet

 

[Let's Have Fun]

I'll be a passenger on the ML.

 

[crookycymru]

:nooo: