Australia

England v Australia Rugby Odds – : Aussies look for hattrick at Twickenham

England to win: 6/4 at SportingBet
Draw: 22/1 at Ladbrokes
Australia to win: 4/6 at Blue Square

England v Australia Betting Tip: Australia 1-12 winning margin 7/4 at Bet365

England will be looking to build upon the last success which they had when they turned out against Australia in the summer. That close triumph over the Aussies in their own back yard, really was the first match under Martin Johnson’s reign as England coach that England have shown real potential. Finally there seems to be a bit of optimism blowing through the ranks of English rugby again. Although they went down 16-26 to New Zealand last weekend, there was enough signs that England are fully rebuilding properly. The game could have been a lot different, and England could have genuinely been within three points of the All Blacks going into the last five minutes of the match, but it wasn’t to be. Many have said that the All Blacks simply didn’t play all that well, but perhaps England did enough to make them look average. England will need to come out of the blocks stronger than they did against the Kiwis, because after all the talk of England hitting the ground running in these November series of Rugby Internationals, they simply didn’t and they were chasing the game right from the off. England can take some heart that they crossed the All Blacks try line, something which hasn’t been done very often in the last ten years of them visiting Twickenham. So now attention turns back to the old rivalry of England v Australia, and another mouth watering, bruising encounter is on the cards.

One of the big positives for England, was the mobility of the pack that Johnson has finally assembled. This is the area which has always been the strength of England, and it was the strength which won them the World Cup. However, since that famous Jonny Wilkinson drop goal, the English pack has never been the same. England did manage to dominate in the scrum against the Kiwis, and that is a very good sign for the Australia match, because England generally do have the upper hand there when the two old foes meet. Dylan Hartley, a try scorer last week after a rampaging run gets a starting place after making his big impact from the bench. If they can again assert dominance over the Aussies in the pack, then it will provide a great platform for them to go on and win the game. While much was made of the late rallying by England against the All Blacks, Johnson will probably (and hopefully) be aware that his side are still lacking in certain areas, notably with pace in the back line and perhaps more importantly, some rugby intelligence. Rugby League convert Shontayne Hape simply wasn’t used in the right manner, and they needed to get him running better lines (not his fault) to make an impact by taking the ball into the gain line, and off-loading to others. He is a real threat if used correctly. One of the most disappointing areas for England really was in the midfield, especially defensively. Mike Tindall had his worst game in an England shirt, and if he plays like that again, his inclusion in the starting fifteen could be up for discussion.

But, going back to the positives, once they had settled down, England weren’t afraid. They battled and hung in there, even though they were largely outmatched for pace all over the field. There were huge positives from Chris Ashton and Ben Foden with the ball, and it was their inventiveness and willingness to not just quick which a few more of the players need to adopt. There are signs that this could come together for England, but now having just won one match in six attempts, one wonders how much time Johnson has left in charge. There is a World Cup to be played next year remember. There are always great battles up front when England v Australia fixtures roll around, and this one should be no different. At home, and taking signs from how they performed against the All Blacks, England should go well there, but the danger with Australia, is, as always, that even if their pack doesn’t perform in the scrums, there is just so much talent throughout the rest of the team that they can usually compensate for it. England, at the moment anyway, simply do not have that same luxury. The two nations met in a two match series Down Under in the autumn, and the Aussies really had the upper hand in the first test, and only narrowly missed victory in the second after Matt Giteau missed a penalty (yes, it happens). There is not a great gulf between the two sides (England would actually rise above the Aussies in the world rankings with a win), but on paper, Australia still look the more dangerous of the two teams. This is an Australia which beat the All Blacks prior to landing on British soil for the November series.

Australia aren’t great up front, and that was seen in their victory over Wales. But again, there is main point. The scrummaging wasn’t great but they still had enough in the tank to win. Exactly what they did when they visited Twickenham last year. Oh, and the year before that. Are the Aussies in line to make it a hat trick of disappointments for England fans at Twickenham? Disappointment is something those England fans have had to live with for a while now, as they have seen their side win just two of their last six outings on the Twickenham turf. IN the head to head statistics between the two sides, the leader isn’t too much of a surprise, as the Aussies have a 23-15 upper hand. The problems for England will probably come in midfield again, as they face what is considered to be the best back line in World rugby from Australia. England have to marshal themselves better, play smarter and quicker in those areas, or else they will get overrun, no matter what is going on in the scrums. The Aussies have the ability to keep the ball away from there, and they will get possession, and plenty of it. England need a strong start to try and rattle their antipodean foes out of their rhythm. This is the big rivalry. This is the one that England needs to, and must win if they are going to turn improvement into opportunity.

England v Australia Statistics

Games Played 39
England wins: 15
Australia wins: 23
Draws: 1

Last 5 Head to head
Australia 20, England 21
Australia 27, England 17
England 9, Australia 18
England 14, Australia 28
Australia 10, England 12

Largest winning margin for England: 23-6
Largest winning margin for Australia: 76-0

Average points for England per game v AUS: 14.51
Average points for Australia per game v ENG: 21.51

Average points difference: +7 Australia

While the England v New Zealand rugby match at Twickenham on Saturday is largely taking a lot of the headlines, Ireland and Wales are also in action against southern hemisphere opponents. Taking a look at the November series of Rugby Internationals, online bookmaker Blue Square presents some very interesting rugby betting markets to take a look at. Notably the rugby betting handicap section for the Test Matches on Saturday posed some very interesting questions from a betting perspective. There’s nothing quite like a good northern v southern hemisphere battle on the rugby field, and naturally, just as with any sports betting, you immediately look at the strength of the favourites to determine how you make your wager. Largely the favourites bank a lot of money, because punters want to see something for their money, even if it is only a little profit at short odds. That is understandable, but in the age of internet betting, there are so many more markets available than just outright betting odds, that much better profits can be earned for the same result. If you are expecting a New Zealand win, then you can make profit on that expected outcome, by dipping into handicap betting or margins.

England v New Zealand

The Kiwis are the best in the world at the game, and that is not in question. Does that mean they are infallible? Does that mean England shouldn’t even bother turning up? Of course not, as the great sporting arena of Twickenham will be expectant of England running the All Blacks close in this tough fixture. However, the Kiwis are strong favourites in the outright betting market, and that makes the Handicap betting for the match, very interesting. Looking at the stats for England v New Zealand, you can see on average, that England have on average, been outscored by 11 points per match by the All Blacks. That is why, when you look at England v New Zealand handicaps, England +12 (and a New Zealand -12) pretty much represents the break even line in the match. This is just going based on average winning margins between the two countries. So, if you want to lengthen your odds just a tad, then you can look at the half margins, with England +11.5 being offered at 5/6 with Blue Square. In order to make any large standing profits, you are either going to be looking at New Zealand to start with a big minus handicap, or for England to start with a slender positive. For example, England +5.5 is 13/8, while England +8.5 is worth a good look at odds of 6/5. For the Kiwis, if you expect them to run riot, which is feasible, then a -17.5 point handicap will bring you a decent 13/8. A New Zealand 11-15 winning margin will fetch a nice 5/1 with Blue Square.

Wales v Australia

Wales are slipping backwards down the world rankings, and they take on an Australia side which beat New Zealand in a recent match, ending the All Blacks’ quest to equal the record number of consecutive test match victories. The Aussies are always a dangerous side and you can never switch off against them. They will be expected to get the better of the Welsh side by at least a good try score. That is why, looking at a Wales +9 (or Australia -9) Handicap fetches 10/11 with Blue Square. Just like the Kiwis against England, you are going to need to look bigger on the margin of victory for the Wallabies. Wales only have a 34% success rate against Australia and the average difference per game between the two sides is, you guessed it, 9 points. The last time the two teams met was in November last year, when Australia romped home to a 21 point victory in 12-33 triumph in Wales. The Welsh have lost their last three outings now, one of them being an absolute hammering (42-9) by New Zealand back in June. The Welsh will play with passion and pride, but the Aussies are so much sharper at the moment, and talented. It will take a lot for Wales to win, so you would have to look at how big a margin Australia will inflict upon them. It’s likely to be touching upon two try scores or better, therefore an Australia 11-15 winning margin is nicely balanced at 5/1.

Ireland v South Africa

This should be a bruising encounter. The Springboks finished bottom of the pile in this year’s tri-nations, and is realistically the best chance that one of the home nations has of winning on Saturday. In fact, you can look at Ireland as favourites for this one, but it could be a pretty tight affair. Ireland have a pretty woeful record against South Africa actually, winning on 21% of their matches against the Springboks. However, in the current swing of things, Ireland on a three match winning streak against South Africa, and they should be backed to do it again, especially at home. In the corresponding fixture last year, Ireland ran out 15-10 winners and there is only an average of around an 8 point difference between the two sides when they meet (in favour of South Africa). Ireland at home are always a tough prospect, and that is why they are just edging things in the handicap betting. You are looking at Ireland -2 or South Africa +2 for around the parity line for 10/11. An Ireland -5.5 handicap for 6/5 is not too far out of the question, and if you fancy the Irish to push the boat out to -8.5 then that brings 13/8. As it should be a close match, looking at an Ireland 1-5 point winning margin is being offered for 4/1 at Blue Square.

If you are new to Blue Square, then you can also double your money when you open an account. All that you need to get the generous bonus, is to place a first bet of a minimum of £5, and whether it wins or loses, Blue Square will simply give a free £10 bet. This is a nice entry into a very good online betting experience with Blue Square, and with clear and concise navigation around the site, along with good prices, the 200%  welcome bonus puts the icing on the cake. November is a big month for International Rugby, and Blue Square could be your home for following the home nations against the tough challenges from the southern half of the world.

England’s cricketers have left the shores of home to head down under in the defence of the Ashes. Once more will the old enemies go into battle for cricket’s most prestigious prize. Naturally the banter between the two rivals is something which always gives fans that extra sense of expectation and pride in their home country, and with the Aussies defacing the side of Big Ben, the fuses are being lit. Seeing the face of Ricky Ponting on one of England’s most famous landmarks, taunting Strauss and co to not forget to the pack the urn, may have raised a smile as publicity stunt, but the Aussie camp may get slapped on the wrist if the Westminster council decides to press charges against the illegal act. It feels like the beginning of something special, and whenever England and Australia come together for the Ashes, it generally doesn’t fail to produce something extraordinary. This is the pinnacle of English cricket, as a player and a supporter, these are the specials matches that can go down in history. Remembering history from the last time England were in Australia to contest the Ashes, won’t bring back too many fond memories, as they were hopelessly outplayed, outclassed and were sent back home with their tails between their legs after a 5-0 thrashing. That whitewash will still be tasting bitter as England walk into the hostile Aussie territories, to try and defend what they won back in the summer.

Andrew Strauss led England to a 2009 summer Ashes victory over the Aussies on home turf, but things are much more difficult in the conditions down under. Still, England are rightly confident after enjoying a busy, yet successful year at the crease and in the field. Captain Andrew Strauss is relishing the chance, relishing the pressure to deliver a big slice of humble pie to the Aussies. England have looked a fairly settled squad throughout the year, and yes, Kevin Pietersen is back in the fold. England’s most enigmatic and prodigious batsman was dropped in the summer. But he has gone away to try and work on his game, and there was never really any doubt that he would be in the Ashes squad. His experience and talent is greatly needed. He has been playing with Kwazulu Natal in South Africa to try and rediscover some form, after not making a century since last year at the top level. Naturally the Aussies are targeting Petersen (who is 4/1 at Ladbrokes to be England’s Top Batsman) as one of the weakest links in the England side, as the man who has all too often been the hero with the bat, is not looking his brilliant old self this year. But he is in the squad, and looking to piece things back together. The thing about international cricket at the moment, is that there really is no dominant team, and there is sort of an even keel about everything. It is star players with natural talent, like Kevin Pietersen, who really could swing a tight series.

The Aussies do have some advantages. Firstly of course, they will be in their own back yard, playing under their own conditions. That is a huge boon when it comes to cricket. The Australian cricket team have always been something of a powerhouse at home, and there is always a lot of expectancy from the home crowd. It is notoriously difficult to go there and pick up victories, simply because Australia play their own conditions perfectly. They know how to get the best out of the pitches, and it is a formidable task trying to break them down. However, there are chinks in the Aussie armour, which England coach Andy Flower will no doubt have noticed and will be targeting. For starters, when it comes to spin bowling, England should have a massive upper hand. They have Graeme Swann (who is 11/8 favourite at Stan James to be England’s Top Bowler) in their ranks, who is one of the best in the world. For the Aussies though it is a bit of a different story. The main question surrounding the Australian spin bowling, is how do you replace Shane Warne? How? Nathan Hauritz has pretty much taken over the task of trying to fill in the footsteps of the legendary Warne, but clearly he hasn’t come anywhere near to being the bright shiny new hope of Australian spin bowling. In fact, you can take a look at the Australian bowling as a whole and pick holes in it. It has been severely disrupted over the last year or so, and there seems to be some confusion as to what the best attacking line up is.

Secondly, the Aussies have lost their last three Test matches (including a 2-0 series defeat against India), and are ranked fifth in the world at the moment. That is one place lower than England! That is the first time ever that England have gone into an Ashes side as a team ranked higher in the world than the Aussies. Not since 1979 has England had successive success in Ashes series, so Strauss could be set to put himself in the history books. Meanwhile opposition captain Ricky Ponting is starting to come under some serious fire from critics, and although he always performs in the Ashes, he will have some extra burden on his shoulders this time around, and how much will his confidence be dented already? So, even though England may look to have the edge on paper, with only three test match wins of the last 26 played on Australian soil, you can clearly see the uphill struggle that England have. Australia are a proud nation, and even though in many respects this is something of a new era of Australian cricket, you can expect them to be hungry, fired up and ready to tear into England. After losing their last three Test Matches, you would expect them to be very angry at themselves, and should be something of a wounded beast. That is something which England have to be aware of.

England do have a lot going for them though, including a good record this year, and the leadership of coach Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss. There is a more business like feel about England, and in the Australian conditions, they need to be ruthless and aggressive. With the ball in hand, there will be a lot of responsibility on Stuart Broad (4/1 at Victor Chandler to be England’s Top Bowler) to deliver that, and the experience of James Anderson will be vital (if he is fit),a long with spinner Graeme Swann. Monty Panesar has also made the squad to some surprise. Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan will likely contest a place in the side, as Steven Finn from Middlesex, who has pretty much been fast tracked into the senior squad should get the nod ahead of them. Finn (who has actually been compared to Aussie Glenn McGrath) has displayed some excellent consistency with the ball, and England need that extra level of quality of consistency, when facing up against the Aussies on the flat batting pitches. Finn (who is 5/1 at SkyBet to be England’s Top Bowler) is not the quickest in terms of blistering place, but he gets the ball in the right place time and time again, and could be a huge factor in any England success. Behind the stumps there is some good competition between the established Matt Prior, and the exciting Steven Davies who had a good year with the senior side. With the bat, there looks to be a lot of solidity, with the likes of Strauss (who is 7/2 favourite at Totesport to be England Top Batsman), Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan and Jonathan Trott in the line up. Add to that Kevin Pietersen and opener Alastair Cook, who really needs a first class tour, England look OK there. But as the Aussie batsmen often look superlative on their own tracks, the pressure will be on the bowlers to unsettle and take huge initiative.

England Ashes Squad
James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Steven Davies, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Andrew Strauss (captain), Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott

Ashes Ante Post Betting Prices

1st Test November 25th-29th
Australia to win: Evens at Paddy Power
Draw: 3/1 at Totesport
England to win: 5/2 at SportingBet

Ashes Series Winner
Australia to win: 8/11 at Boylesports
Draw: 11/2 at 888Sport
England to win: 12/5 at Bwin

Ashes Correct Score
Australia 3-1 8/1 at Boylesports
Australia 2-1 8/1 at Ladbrokes
Draw 2-2 9/1 at Victor Chandler
England 2-1 10/1 at Totesport
Australia 3-2 11/1 at Victor Chandler

England will play Australia in the semi finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, after coming through their group stage undefeated. They rounded out the group with a strong 37-10 victory over the United States, sealing a 100% record which shot them straight into the semi finals. England topped their group over Ireland, USA and Kazakhstan, finishing with the maximum of fifteen points. The hosts have looked fairly untroubled through their progress, as expected and finished as top seeds after the group qualification stage. New Zealand were the only other group winners to finish with the maximum points, but England pipped them in the seedings for the knockout stages by virtue of having a better points difference. England are showing a lot of firepower at the tournament, with the team being the highest scorers in the competition ahead of New Zealand. They have also ran in the most tries in the tournament, with Katy McLean second on the points chart for individual scorers. England will be well worth backing in the semi final, as they have the upper hand in experience and overall quality in the women’s game, and should be able to snuff out the threat of the emerging Australians.

Australia finished the group stages as the best runner up, coming in in second place in their group behind New Zealand. This sets up a clash with England. Interestingly given the history between the two countries at the men’s international level, the two sides have never met in a women’s international. England are the most established of the two sides with Australia emerging as one of the newer most promising and exciting talents on the world scene. The Aussies pushed the limits of qualification, needing to beat South Africa in their final group game by a huge 56 points margin. They miraculously did it though, beating the South Africans, who were being touted as one of the other strong dark horses of the competition, by a score of 62-0. Any Australian side, will of course be confident of victory, but there doesn’t appear to be quite enough in the tank to be able to take down the English, certainly not having to play against the home crowd as well. It should be an entertaining affair though, with two attacking sides, but England’s defence will have the edge. The women’s game is a lot more of an open, running game than the men’s. The women keep the ball in hand a lot longer and you won’t see a lot of possession being kicked away.

Twickenham Stoop hosts both of the semi finals, and kick off is at 8.30 pm Wednesday. The first of the two semi finals will be contested between three times defending Champions and tournament favourites New Zealand, as they take on France who needed to beat Canada in their final group match to squeeze through to the knockout round. Canada, who are always a threat in Women’s Rugby, were holding on to one of the semi final spots before the last round of matches, and their loss, coupled with Australia’s unlikely win over the South Africans, knocked them out. France should prove to be stubborn opponents, but New Zealand are the top side in the world and will take some beating, especially in the knockout stages of the World Cup. The Black Ferns have won the tournament three times in a row now, and will take some stopping. England are second favourites to win the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and their 1-1 tied series in the Autumn against New Zealand, will give them plenty of optimism to focus upon.

England v Australia Odds
England to win: 1/5 at Paddy Power
Draw: 25/1 at Bet365
Australia to win: 9/2 at SportingBet

2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup Betting Outright
New Zealand: 2/7 at Paddy Power
England: 11/4 at Bet365
Australia: 40/1 at Boylesports
France: 125/1 at Totesport

Home nation England will be hoping to ruck and maul their way to rugby glory at the 2010 World Cup. The 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup begins on Friday August 20th and runs to September 5th, with England pooled in the second of three tournament groups alongside Ireland, Kazakhstan and the USA. The tournament, which spans over 17 exciting days, is the culmination of teams having to actually qualify for places in the tournament, which indicates just how much the sports has grown in recognition since 2006. England, France, Canada, USA and defending Champions New Zealand all gained automatic berths, while Australia, Sweden, Kazakhstan and the remaining home nations all came through qualification campaigns. Women’s rugby is ready to set the world alight again, with full coverage on TV. Will this put extra pressure on the England women? With South Africa and Australia on the rise, the tournament is expected to again raise the standards of the women’s international game. The women’s game is much faster than the men’s version, because the ball is kept in hand a lot more, instead of being kicked away. You will likely see much more running and having a go for the try line.

As the action is on SkySports, the online bookmaker SkyBet is a great port of call to go to in order to get your fill of the Women’s Rugby World Cup betting. SkySports currently offer a welcome bonus of a matched £10 when you open a new account with them and make your first bet. With the online bookmaker SkyBet, you will find a betting portal which is as comprehensive as it is easy to navigate. As to be expected from the sports provider, you can find some of the best market prices around in their sports book, and don’t forget to dip into their promotions to further enhance your betting experience. Just head to their rugby section to find the lastest prices on the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup. There, England are 11/8 second favourites, behind New Zealand at 4/5. England are a very short 1/8 to win their pool.

Pools
A: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Wales
B: England, Ireland, Kazakhstan, USA
C: Canada, France, Scotland, Sweden

Fixtures -
Pool A
20 Aug, 14:00 – Wales v Australia
20 Aug, 16:15 – New Zealand v South Africa
24 Aug, 12:00 – Wales v South Africa
24 Aug, 16:15 – New Zealand v Australia
28 Aug, 14:00 -New Zealand v Wales
28 Aug, 16:15 – Australia v South Africa

Pool B
20 Aug, 14:15 -USA v Kazakhstan
20 Aug, 18:30 – England v Ireland
24 Aug, 16:30 – USA v Ireland
24 Aug, 18:30 – England v Kazakhstan
28 Aug, 16:30 – Ireland v Kazakhstan
28 Aug, 18:30 – England v USA

Pool C
20 Aug, 12:00 – Canada v Scotland
20 Aug, 16:30 – France v Sweden
24 Aug, 14:00 – France v Scotland
24 Aug, 14:15 – Canada v Sweden
28 Aug, 12:00 – Scotland v Sweden
28 Aug, 14:15 – France v Canada

So let’s asses the chances of England with a rugby betting preview. England have already been forced into making changes to the squad, with veteran England stalwart Claire Allan (who has been capped 38 times for her country) falling foul of injury during training. England have drafted in cover in the form of Michaela Staniford to cover the position in the backs. The tournament favourites will be new Zealand, and to be honest, England have a long way to go to catch up with Black Ferns, as do most other nations. England are captained by Catherine Spencer, and she will take heart from their performances against New Zealand in the Autumn Test series, where they held the Kiwis to a 1-1 series draw. So, should their paths cross again at the 2010 Women’s World Cup, then there should not be so much fear against the might of the New Zealand women’s rugby team, should they face the Haka again. New Zealand and England met in the final of the 2006 World Cup, which England lost, but their second test 10-3 victory over the Kiwis in the Autumn will put them in good standing for confidence, knowing that they can beat the best in the world.

England surprisingly lost a little of their grip on the Six Nations earlier in the year, with a surprise, last minute defeat by Wales denying them a fourth consecutive Grand Slam. England still won the championship again though, and England should be a lot stronger than they were at the start of the Six Nations, having played a lot of games together as a team in preparation for the 2010 World Cup in England. That was the first time in the international history of women’s rugby that Wales had beaten England, and captain Catherine Spencer, is sure that they have learned their lessons to become a better side. England’s women rugby stars are not professionals and they do not get paid for their sport participation, so it is literally a labour of love for the women. When you get to turn out in the World Cup at Twickenham in front of the home fans, then those are the genuine sporting moments which are worth working towards. It is exactly what Emily Scarratt has done, and you can look for her to be one of the stars of the tournament, at just 20 years of age. Scarratt has ran in 16 tries in 18 international tests for her country. The fly half is also fully adaptable to dropping into full back, and could be one of the most potent attacking weapons in the tournament.

England start their tournament on the opening day on Friday, as they take on Ireland, who they beat in the Six Nations earlier in the year. Also on the cards for the opening day of the tournament, is New Zealand v South Africa and Wales v Australia. Wales are looking forward to the tournament, with probably their strongest squad ever. Non Evans kicked a last minute drop goal in the Six Nations to beat England, and that victory will give the battling Welsh a lot of hope of good performances, even though they have been handed a draw in the Group of Death, with South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Wales will be the quietly confident underdogs of the group, but that is just the way Wales like it and are in a buoyant mood. They likely won’t get to the main stages of the tournament, but they have the chance to prove themselves against the best in the world. New Zealand though will start as tournament favourites, even though they have been dealt a blow with the loss of the woman who essentially won them the 2006 World Cup. Amiria Rule was one of the top performers in Canada 2006, and, running in a late try against England in the final of the tournament, secured the third consecutive tournament for the Black Ferns. You can follow all the live action on SkySports, while enjoying live In-Play betting with SkyBet.

We nearly saw a football miracle take place on Tuesday afternoon when South Africa went 2-0 up against France and needed just two more goals against ten demotivated opponents to reach the last sixteen of the 2010 World Cup. Australia will draw inspiration from the way Bafana Bafana set about trying to stay in the competition as they look to upset the odds by joining Ghana or Germany in the knockout stage.

The Aussies had a disastrous start to their World Cup, losing 4-0 to Germany in Durban and everyone was quick to write them off. However, the Socceroos were much improved against Ghana and that 1-1 draw means that Pim Verbeek’s team have a slim chance of going through. Sky Bet offer 25/1 that they go through and they firstly need to beat their Serbian opponents in Nelspruit.

Sky Bet offer 7/2 that this happens and the pressure will certainly be removed from their shoulders against a team that clearly stand a better chance of qualification. The Aussies will have Tim Cahill returning and the Everton midfielder could be a man on a mission after his red card against Germany, something which stopped the team making a potential comeback when the scoreline was 2-0. If you think that Cahill can get on the scoresheet in this game, he’s a best price 3/1 – again with Sky Bet! They are clearly happy to take Australia on!

Nevertheless, the Serbian team will be pumped with belief after that dramatic win over Germany, which saw Miroslav Klose sent off and Lukas Podolski miss a penalty. It was a much improved performance from Radomir Antic’s team and they are strong favourites at 10/11 (bet365) to take the three points at the Mbombela Stadium and leave Germany and Ghana to scrap it out in Johannesburg.

It’s interesting that Serbia are no bigger than 8/15 (Sky Bet) on the ‘To Qualify From Group D’ market, with Ghana on offer at 8/11 (Paddy Power) and Germany trading at 1/4 (Victor Chandler). While we’re all aware of the Germans’ excellent World Cup tradition, it might be the case that the bookmakers are affixing too much emphasis to reputation, especially with Michael Ballack and Miroslav Klose not in the team. Anyone with a betfair account might be tempted to lay Germany to qualify at odds of around 1.33.

Serbia’s goalscoring hero against the Germans was Milan Jovanovic and the Liverpool-bound striker is 8/1 (Paddy Power) to break the deadlock once again, although perhaps the Australian defence might have problems against giant striker Nikola Zigic, who is 13/2 (Bet Fred) to get his team off to the best possible start. It’s worth noting that Serbia have only conceded one goal thus far and that came about due to ridiculous handling error in the penalty area. Paddy Power’s 5/4 that Serbia keep a clean sheet is interesting, with Ladbrokes offering 2/1 that the team win to nil.

Here’s a question – why are England 11/8 (Betfred, Ladbrokes and Coral) to beat Australia in the upcoming one-day series? I know the mental make-up of the Aussies will demand they lay down a marker against the Poms ahead of this winter’s Ashes and many of them are still smarting over their relative humiliation in the final of the T20 World Cup – but who’s to say England are going to lie down and accept their fate? Bookmakers may well be guilty of underestimating England, who really haven’t looked back since regaining the Ashes last year. True, they were hammered by the Aussies in the one-day series that followed their final Test triumph but that was at the end of a long and emotionally-charged summer and the England one-day side the Aussies will come up against over the next month is an entirely different proposition. For a start, there’s a fully-fit and focused Kevin Pietersen. Along with Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan, he forms the backbone of a middle order that positively overflows with rapid run potential. Australia’s bowlers certainly didn’t intimidate new one-day opener Craig Kieswetter in the Caribbean and he’ll be able to rely on the experience of captain Andrew Strauss in his first home series should he have a few sticky moments, while England’s bowling attack looks at least the equal of the tourists’. James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan are all experienced one-day bowlers and the latter three can also chip in with valuable runs at the end of an innings – I’m not sure the same can be said of the opposition. Ricky Ponting didn’t participate in the T20 World Cup so his return to the starting line-up should boost the Aussies but his side will have to be at their very best to overcome the absence of first-choice wicketkeeper/batsman Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, arguably their best bowler over the last two years. That means a heavy burden will fall on the shoulders of inexperienced seamers Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger, and spinner Nathan Hauritz. Shane Watson, Cameron White and David Hussey will no doubt try to bludgeon their way through the England attack but the home side look capable of seeing off their threat and look good value for the series win. A 4-1 (8/1 with Ladbrokes) or 3-2 (5/2 with Bet365, Betfred and Ladbrokes) series win for England could pay dividends, while the general 6/1 for Paul Collingwood to finish as top England batsman is also worth a second look. Shane Watson (7/2 with extrabet) could end up as the Aussies’ leading run-maker.

• England to win series (11/8 with Betfred, Coral and Ladbrokes)
• England to win 3-2 (5/2 with Bet365, Betfred and Ladbrokes)
• Engalnd to win 4-1 (8/1 with Ladbrokes)
• Paul Collingwood to be England Top Scorer (6/1 general)
• Shane Watson to be Australia Top Scorer (7/2 with Extrabet)

England v Australia Betting Preview: England boss Martin Johnson will still be scratching his head after England drew a run out against the Australia Barbarians 28-28 as part of their build up for Saturday’s first test against the Aussies. The same old problems which have plagued England during Johnson’s tenure as boss were there again, as visible as the startling future talent of Aussie James O’Connor who ran in a hat trick against the English. While England had the better of the forwards play with some much improved scrimmaging, again they looked extremely flat and lacking any creativity in the back line. For all the promise of injecting a new exciting attack into the England style, Johnson has again failed to deliver where it counts. Going into a series against the Aussies, England will find themselves way back in terms of betting, as the chance of breaking down the speedy Australian defence, is limited at best. They did run in three tries against the Aussie Barbarians, but they were so laborious at the back, and were so littered with basic errors, that the result could have easily ended in defeat for the English.

So what options do Johnson have? Are all of England’s problems down to him, or are England simply lacking talent in the backs? The Cook Cup throws together England and Australia again, in one of Rugby Unions most anticipated match ups. The backs will be missing their one injection of pace, as Riki Flutey sits out through injury, and that could give a start to Shontayne Hape, who switched codes from league, and Johnson may be looking to that more exciting running to give England some direction. The all important fly half position will still be filled with Toby Flood, as Jonny Wilkinson continues to sit things out on the bench. Flood will be pairing up with scrum half Danny Care, who still manages to retain his first choice position, even if he has shown his weaknesses on the international stage. Hape would come in alongside the midfield battering ram of Mike Tindall. The last time England picked up a victory over Australia down under, the entire nation was jumping for joy when Wilkinson drop kicked England to World Cup victory in 2003.

Since then, England have not looked anywhere near as strong as that side, and for all the rebuilding and reshuffling, they cannot seem to get things right, nor even show enough progress in going forward. Rugby Union tests don’t come much harder than playing Australia in their own back yard. However, England will have the advantage of experience in the scrum, as the Aussies are putting out an inexperienced front line. They key to winning for England, will be for them to destroy the Australian scrum, which will break down their attacking platform. That is the only way that Johnson is going to see the pressure eased off his back, and it will be the most likely source of their own points. Taking on the Aussies up front is not going to be conducive to seeing England playing a dynamic attacking game, but right now Johnson would probably take a win from any performance. England will have to face hat trick hero O’Connor again, as he gets drafted in at full back after his impressive Barbarians debut.

In their warm up win against Fiji, the Aussies suffered two major blows, with Adam Ashley-Cooper and Ben Alexander picking up injuries. World class genius Matt Giteau will be the fulcrum in the back playing at inside centre, while around him, some more inexperienced players will get their chance in the Green and Gold. Can England find a dynamic thrust to cause an upset down under? On paper it looks unlikely, but they do have their chances with the right tactical approach, and if they keep basic errors out of their game? Are they as good as the Australians? No, plain and simple the same level of talent is not there. Will a messy win suffice? Certainly, it would keep Johnson in a job a little bit longer. Remember the World Cup is next year, and these should be important building blocks for Johnson. But, surely by now, England should be further ahead in their game than they are, even though Johnson is trying to keep a settled and consistent squad. There is a train of thought that it really is not the players, but the management and coaching staff who are letting the nation down. Can Johnson simply survive on the reputation of being a World Cup hero as a player? Is it time to bring in a proven, World Class coach? Aussies win, hands down.

Australia to win: 1/4 at BetFred
Draw: 25/1 at Bet365
England to win: 4/1 at SportingBet

England team: Chris Ashton, Danny Care, Dan Cole, Tom Croft, Mark Cueto, Nick Easter, Toby Flood, Ben Foden, Shontayne Hape, Lewis Moody, Tom Palmer, Tim Payne, Simon Shaw, Steve Thompson, Mike Tindall
Replacements: George Chuter, James Haskell, Courtney Lawes, Mathew Tait, Jonny Wilkinson, David Wilson, Ben Youngs.

ICC World Twenty20 Final Betting Preivew: England are in the final of one major World Tournament this year. England’s cricketers secured their berth in the final of the ICC World Twenty20, with a comprehensive victory over dangerous Twenty20 side, Sri Lanka. It was an emphatic seven wicket victory, which was largely inspired by lead bowler Stuart Broad, who took down the crucial wicket of in form Mahela Jayewardene, the tournaments top scoring batsman, as Sri Lanka batted first. The Sri Lankans, who have power personified in their batting line up, were restricted to just 128-6 in their twenty overs, as the England bowlers kept things extremely tight. This backed up the new look and confidence that England have displayed in the tournament, after winning all three of their Super 8 matches against Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand, to reach the semi finals.

The chase was helped by the return of Kevin Pietersen, who returned to the West Indies after the birth of his new son. Pietersen cracked 42 off 26 balls coming in at number three, after openers Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb racked up a rapid 68 in the first 8 Overs. It took England only 16 Overs to chase down the total, again looking accomplished in all aspects of the game, and especially looking dominant in the batting department. Captain Paul Collingwood’s men now stand on the brink of cricket history, as England have never won a World tournament. Reaching the final has been something of a success, as they were rank outsiders in the betting before the tournament. Their new dynamic look has turned everything on its head, and look to be bursting with confidence.

England had to await the winner of Australia and defending champions Pakistan in the second of the semi finals. Australia are favourites still to win the tournament, and England have already beaten Pakistan comfortably in the tournament. It will be their old foes Australia who they will take on in the final of the ICC World Twenty20, after they played out an incredible semi final match against defending champions Pakistan. Pakistan posted the second high score of the tournament, setting the Aussies a target of 192 to win, with the Akmal brothers dominating the show in the Pakistan line up. But, unfortunately for Pakistan, their bowlers could not defend the total, despite looking as if they had the Aussies batters on the ropes. It wasn’t until Michael Hussey stepped up to the crease, that the match threatened to go down to the wire. The Aussies even needed 18 to win from the final over, but with Hussey cracking sixes, they drew level on scores with two balls to draw, setting themselves up for one of the most thrilling finishes seen in World Twenty20.

The ominous run chase completed will confirm Australia’s status as favourites in the final against England. But there is hope. England are displaying something of a great all round team spirit and capability. Why can England win the ICC World Twenty20? Well, for starters, England have e at the tournament (Kevin Pietersen 3rd with 201, Eoin Morgan 6th with 168, Kieswetter 7th with 159 and Michael Lumb 12th with 135). In the bowling department, England have generally been tight, with Graeme Swann being the 6th most prolific wicket taker in the tournament with 9 wickets, Stuart Broad and Ryan Sidebottom have both taken 8 a piece.

England to win: 7/5 at Totesport
Australia to win: 8/13 at SkyBet