new zealand

2011 Rugby World Cup host nation New Zealand are gearing up for their second match of the tournament. The pressure is on the All Blacks to perform again, and their start, a 41-10 win over Tonga was not exactly the blistering, super convincing performance that the home fans would have wanted to see on that first night. Still, it was a win with a bonus point and they remain on course, and it is early days of course. They need to build some confidence after suffering back to back defeats to South Africa and Australia in the Tri Nations recently. It was a start and now they move on to face Japan. Of course there is only likely to be one winner here, and Japan opened their account with a 41-21 defeat at the hands of France. Japan though were full of running and enthusiasm as expected and France really weren’t happy with their overall performance. Like with most of the big sides, it was something of a lethargic start to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. There is a lot more rugby to come of course, and getting through the group stage with results is all that matters. The last and only time that Japan and New Zealand have crossed paths was back in 1995, when the All Blacks ran up a cricket score. The Kiwis crushed their opponents 145-17 on that occasion, and so we will be expecting to see plenty of tries in this Pool A fixture as the host nation looks to build momentum. That just makes it a prime opportunity to dip into some handicap betting and with first match nerves out of the way, we should see the All Blacks settle into their game a little bit more. A New Zealand -56 Handicap fetches 10/11 at Bet365

New Zealand v Japan Rugby World Cup Betting Odds
New Zealand to win: 1/1000 at Bet365
Draw: 80/1 at SkyBet
Japan to win: 100/1 at Paddy Power

The 2011 Tri Nations Rugby betting will serve as a good prelude to the Rugby World Cup which kicks off later in the year. This is the 16th annual running of this mini tournament, and this could very well become the Four Nations next year, with Argentina joining the fray, so there will be a bit of extra pride on the line in being the last winners of the current format. Each team plays the other twice, once at home and once away, so while the teams just run out four matches each, they are generally pretty epic ones. There is rarely less bruising encounters on the rugby field than when any two of New Zealand, Australian and South Africa come together. This is rugby played at the highest level, and the month long tournament will give us a good look at what could be in store from the nations at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. So this is worth watching, not only for quality rugby, but also for betting options. This year’s tournament has been cut down to each team playing each other twice instead of three times. Teams get points for a win, as well as bonus points for scoring 4 Tries in a match, and for losing by no more than 7 Points. There is a great window of opportunity to get your teeth into some rugby betting ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, with three teams going into the Tri Nations in a different status. The Kiwis are the powerhouses, the ones which everyone wants to take down, but are their cracks if their top stars like Dan Carter and Richie McCaw don’t make it. The Wallabies suffered a bad defeat against Samoa in a warm up match, but they are packed with future explosive talent. As for the Springboks, they are sending just two regular starters to the Tri Nations for their first match in Australia. It is a mixed bag of approaches to the tournament, so who will prevail in 2011 Tri Nations betting? Here we take a look at the three nations and assess their chances.

New Zealand

Absolute favourites to win the 2011 Tri Nations and not surprising really. They really look untouchable at the moment, and have won seven of the last nine tournaments. They won last year’s event with a 100% record and the other nations just couldn’t get close to them. They ran up a massive points difference of +73, which is the largest in Tri Nations rugby history. Their dominance in the Tri Nations is superb, winning ten of the fifteen renewals of the event. They are the only team to have a positive points difference when all Tri Nations records are totalled up. They are the current IRB ranked number one team in the world and they play one warm up match against Fiji on July 22nd. That will be their first outing for the year, after successfully touring the UK last November and beating all of the home nations. So this is the first time we will get to see just how powerful they are again, and all signs are pointing to them running away with this year’s tournament. You have to look at the main man Dan Carter in the half backs, who pulls all the creative strings for New Zealand. The Kiwis do rely on him a lot, and they need him fully fit for the World Cup. They can be got at in the line outs, but otherwise they do have control in their pack, and once they secure quick ball, they can be devastating once they get out wide. Skipper Richie McCaw, who missed most of the Super 15 season with a foot injury, is an important cog in the Kiwi machine, and he is ready and fired up to prove himself for the Tri Nations and the World Cup of course. The Skipper is not in his best form, that’s understandable, but the more games he gets under his belt, the better the Kiwis can get. Well worth backing and the price on them is not too bad at the moment. There’s a big six weeks ahead for the Kiwis, in their Tri Nations hopes and their World Cup hopes.

New Zealand 2011 Tri Nations Fixtures
30th July: New Zealand v South Africa
6th August: New Zealand v Australia
20th August: South Africa v New Zealand
27th August: Australia v New Zealand

New Zealand 2011 Tri Nations Betting Odds: 1/2 at Boylesports

Australia

There is a bit of a weakened feel about Australia ahead of the Tri Nations. However, there is still a lot of raw, young talent in the Australian side. They are not the strongest which they can be, not by any stretch of the imagination, but look as if they are on the right side of their transition. One thing the Aussies will have is confidence, but they have been prone to whinging their way through the Tri Nations. They did upset the Kiwis in friendly match last October, which was something of a surprise given their status as underdogs, and the rise and rise of the Kiwis. However, if they were looking to challenge at the Tri Nations, then their warm up match, a shocking loss to Samoa won’t have done their confidence any good. They really came out sloppy, looking as if they felt the match was a foregone conclusion right from the kick off. But in slippery conditions, they really slipped up badly. Or will have been the wake up call which they really needed? Wallabies Coach Robbie Deans has selection problems, with prop Benn Robinson a major casualty. But it is not all doom and gloom for the Aussies, as there really is a wealth of young talent in the country. Whether they are ready or not to break through fully at international status to compete with the Kiwis, is a different matter although. The biggest thing that the Aussies can build upon here, is their defence. There is a train of thought, that the Aussies, because of their exciting crop of young players, can prove many people wrong if their defence holds up. The Tri Nations is actually all about defence. The best defence wins, and so that organisation is there for the Aussies, even if the team together needs to build cohesion which will only come through experience. The Aussies may be capable of causing an upset in the Tri Nations, but realistically you do not see them beating the Kiwis twice, so that will just hold them back in the title race here. May be worth a punt, because of value, and because there is an air that a new golden generation is brewing. The Wallabies are not as strong up front as the Kiwis, but we could see some brave performances from them. Watch out for Ashley Cooper and Will Genia as they will likely be the stand out stars for the Aussies. The Aussies have not won the Tri Nations since 2001, but how they would love to finish on top before the format of the competition changes. If they do happen to pull out the stops in the Tri Nations, they will be a strong bet for the World Cup.

Australia 2011 Tri Nations Fixtures
23rd July: Australia v South Africa
6th August: New Zealand v Australia
13th August: South Africa v Australia
27th August: Australia v New Zealand

Australia 2011 Tri Nations Betting Odds: 3/1 at Stan James

South Africa

Sadly, with South Africa announcing that they have 21 players who can’t participate in the tournament because of injury, it is a weakened Springboks which will be seeing in the Tri Nations. There is a massive amount of experience missing from their squad, so it really is not worth looking at them to win here. They were the last team to break New Zealand’s dominance in the Tri Nations, the Springboks winning it back in 2009. Their travel plans to Australia for their first match of the Tri Nations was disrupted when their plan had to turn around and head back because of engine failure. Coach Peter de Villiers and his crew made it though, and after seeing Australia lose to Samoa in one of the biggest international rugby shocks for some time, the young Boks may be ready to throw caution to the wind and upset some people. They certainly have nothing to lose going into the 2011 Tri Nations, because they are so short on first team talent and experience, that no-one is expecting them to produce anything. Some are criticising the Springboks for this, as it is what they did ahead of the 2007 World Cup, the year when they edged England in the final. They had players who were well rested for the World Cup, but it is always a risk to take over consistency in selection. One thing is for sure, is that it will give Peter de Villiers a very good look at his support staff, as most of the first team will be back for the World Cup. The Springboks on show will be fighting for places in the World Cup squad, so they could be inspired, but with just two regular starters in the squad, the Springboks aren’t going to win this. The Springboks are always rough and ready up front in the pack, and while they will bring size and power to the Tri Nations, but not so much quality perhaps. That will hurt them. They have three Tri Nations titles to their name, but don’t look capable of adding to it this year.

South Africa 2011 Tri Nations Fixtures
23rd July: Australia v South Africa
30th July: New Zealand v South Africa
13th August: South Africa v Australia
20th August: South Africa v New Zealand

South Africa 2011 Tri Nations Betting Odds: 10/1 at SportingBet

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.

It seems like a yawning eternity between betting on Rugby International matches, but England v New Zealand head line Saturday, November 6th fixtures. Fortunately there is a blitz of top quality rugby uinion coming, as the home nations take on the southern hemisphere. While Ireland square off against South Africa and Wales take on Australia, eyes will be on Twickenham to see how far England are progressing under Martin Johnson. It hasn’t been a smooth transition into the job for World Cup winner Johnson, although his 21-20 win over Australia back in June will have raised a little hope. The problem for England, under Johnson in particular, has been a lack of cohesion between the forwards and the backs. Everything has just been incredibly flat and on the large part directionless. There has been a distinct lack of cutting edge when it comes to spreading the ball wide, and they always seems to be more worried about what the opposition are doing, how they are lining up as opposed to getting on with their own thing. Now Twickenham will see another new England, as the England v New Zealand match starts the November series, before they face Australia, Samoa and South Africa in a thrilling sequence. Former Captain Phil Vickery has announced his retirement from the game, and while one experienced head departs, there is a feeling of a youthful breeze finally blowing through the England ranks. What that brings of course is inexperience, and that is the last thing you want exposed by the All Blacks.

England v New Zealand Betting Odds

England to win: 11/2 at SportingBet
Draw: 33/1 at Bet365
New Zealand to win: 1/6 at Ladbrokes

England have only managed to win nine matches out twenty five that Martin Johnson has coached. Not great, but one has to question whether the blame is solely on him. The specialist coaches have taken a lot of flak, as well as the general standard of the English domestic rugby game, which is seen to be in decline. But one of the positives of youth, is often bravery. It may take some time for new players to settle in to roles at International level, but for the new boys here, an England v New Zealand match doesn’t get any tougher. With the Premiership just a couple of weeks into its new season, the England players should be relatively fresh, and there is a hope that the intensity from the league will spill over into the enthusiasm needed on the pitch, come Saturday. Johnson wants England to come out of the blocks running, to try and unsettle the vistiors, and also to not find themselves in a position of having to chase the game from an early stage. The task ahead of them at Twickenham is no easy one of course. New Zealand have not lost on British soil for eight years.

England will be led out again by Lewis Moody, and prop Andrew Sheridan is welcomed back into the squad, after sitting out a long period from the game through injury. While there are familiar names in the starting fifteen which Johnson has announced to face the Kiwis, five of the players will get their first taste of playing at Twickenham. Ben Foden, Chris Ashton, Shontayne Hape, Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes all make their home debuts for England, while David Attwood and Hendre Fourie will wait to come off the bench for their first full caps. There is actually quite a nice looking balance to the England team when you look at it on paper. In particular, the pack seems to be quite a mobile one, with Nick Easter, Dan Cole, Courtney Lawes and Tom Palmer hovering around the action. Throw in the tackling impacts that Tom Croft and Lewis Moody has around the breakdown and there is a good looking side. Nick Easter at number eight will need a big game, controlling the speed which the ball gets to the backs. Ben Youngs steps in as scrum half. The Leicester man has only three caps to his name, but he was the Land Rover Discovery of the Year in 2009-10, and the scrum half is given him another chance. Youngs ran in a try in the 21-20 victory in Australia mentioned above, after throwing a dummy to beat the Aussie defence. Chris Ashton, who looks like a very exciting long term prospect, along with Mark Cueto will occupy the wings, and while there is no Jonny Wilkinson, Toby Flood controls from fly half.

England v New Zealand Betting Tip: New Zealand winning margin 11-20 for 15/8 at Ladbrokes

The fly half position is where most of the blame has been placed on the backs. Wasted balls kicked away, poor passing, and a flat back line playing off the fly half has been England’s attacking downfall for some time now. Flood has to be on top of his game in such an important position, and is the more dynamic option over Wilkinson (who is out injured). Rugby League and Kiwi convert Hape will be the injection of creativity, pace and finishing power through the middle, while Mike Tindall will continue his role as direct battering ram. Looking at the full back position, Ben Foden continues his fledgling international career, and makes up a triumvirate of real attacking cutting edge from the back along with Youngs and Ashton. This is the youth that England need to develop well and use, and of course, give chances to. These are the future of the team. Foden is a lethal runner when he gets the ball in hand, something England really haven’t had for a long time, not since Jason Robinson hung up his boots really. What Foden does, is open up games very well. Usually the first order of the day for a full back is to put boot to ball, but the confidence and attitude with which Foden plays, that is generally his second option. If he sees space, he will run and counter without hesitation. Again, on paper, England look a balanced, and somewhat exciting team. The questions will be over Johnson’s tactics, and whether he is astute enough to navigate their way past a New Zealand side which has not conceded a try on their last two European Tours. In the fixture last year, the Kiwis ran out comfortable 19-6 winners, but this being the first real match for England, they usually perform well. You can expect a spark of enthusiasm, and hopefully a bit of bravery to take the game to the Kiwis right from the very off.

England team to face New Zealand: Andrew Sheridan, Steve Thompson, Dan Cole, Courtney Lawes, Tom Palmer, Tom Croft, Lewis Moody, Nick Easter, Ben Youngs, Toby Flood, Mark Cueto, Shontayne Hape, Mike Tindall, Chris Ashton, Ben Foden.

For the All Blacks, the key man as always will be Dan Carter, and the England midfield have to find a way of shutting him down. New Zealand will hit Twickenham with something to prove. After cruising to a Tri-Nations title, where they won six out of six matches and notched 184 points, they slipped up in a warm up match recently against Australia in Hong Kong. That was a game which would have equalled the world record for consecutive Test match victories (standing at 17), if the Kiwis had won it. Instead, Australia ended a ten game losing streak against the All Blacks. But that was a seriously long unbeaten run to start with, and highlights the dominance of the Kiwis. They are the best attacking side in the world, hands down. No questions. They have natural flair, dynamic running and power from all over the place. It is hard to spot any weakness in the All Blacks armour, and only moments of players switching off, often puts the All Blacks under pressure. Tri Nations was an absolute thriller this year, with score lines rocketing, and the question is, do England try and match that power, or try and contain? The World Cup is next year, and the winners are usually a team build on solid defence. The England defence will be tested on Saturday, as the All Blacks will be reeling from that loss to Australia. The last time New Zealand lost in Britain was when England beat them 31-28 at Twickenham in 2002. That was in the November series too, just ahead of the 2003 World Cup, which England of course, won.

England v New Zealand Stats

Matches Played: 33
England wins: 6
New Zealand wins: 26
Draws: 1

Largest match points for England: 31-28
Largest match points for New Zealand: 64-22

Largest winning margin for England: 13-0 (13)
Largest winning margin for New Zealand: 64-22 (42)

England Total points v NZ: 408
New Zealand Total points v ENG: 784

Average points for England v NZ: 12
Average points for New Zealand v ENG: 23

England Women’s Rubgy team will need a momentous repeat of their performance in the Autumn Test series against the world’s best New Zealand, if they are to lift the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Sunday. England secured their place in the final with a 15-0 semi final win over Australia, a game in which England’s superior defence clearly showed. Now the tournament reaches its expected conclusion between two of the women’s games heavyweights, as England v New Zealand play out at Twickenham Stoop for glory. England are arguably the side best prepared to take on the might of New Zealand, who are the defending champions after winning the tournament three times in a row. But England have been strong in their play and performances throughout the tournament, even though the heavy score lines which they have run up, have been against opposition who are below the standards required to win the World Cup. Can England upset the Rugby betting odds and pull of a famous victory on their home turf?

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England’s open side flanker Maggie Alphonsi has been the highlight of the England side, and it is her combined power with the rest of the England pack, which will be key in taking the game to the Black Ferns. It is that extra level of power, and the discipline in defence which England will need to be able to compete toe to toe with the favourites. England need to take the game to New Zealand, and heap as much pressure on them as possible up front. Will home advantage for the England women be the catalyst to propel them towards the title which they won back in 1994 for the first time? It should certainly play its part as the Red Roses go into the match as underdogs. The Black Ferns, just like the men’s senior side, are a team which can rip opponents apart and run riot themselves. They haven’t been put under any kind of pressure so far in the tournament, so can England throw them off their game? They will have the experience of their most capped player Amy Garnett to call upon in the final, and it could be third time lucky for her after missing out twice in World Cup Finals. Those two losses in the final were both at the hands of Sunday’s opponents New Zealand.

Preparation and focus are the keys to game on Sunday, and the host nation has not faltered in their position with the weight of expectancy upon them. They will be able to recall their victory over the Black Ferns in the second test of the Autumn series in November, which England won to tie the series. Wins do not come to often against New Zealand, but the England camp look ready and prepared for their biggest match of the year. The English women’s game has advanced from four years ago, with more funding being injected into the sport, all which helps with raising the quality levels of the English game. England are not going to come up against many weaknesses in the New Zealand game, and the match could all hinge on how well England’s mightily impressive defence stands up over the 80 minutes. One thing which England may need to do, is produce the perfect game which they have been striving for so hard. They believe they haven’t found it in the tournament yet, but Sunday at Twickenham Stoop would be the perfect time to make it happen.

Women’s Rugby World Cup Final Odds
New Zealand to win: 2/9 at Bet365
Draw: 25/1 at Totesport
England to win: 7/2 at Stan James

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.

England need victory over Kiwis to guarantee place in final after toppling China

An enthralling and exciting victory over China, has given England the chance to book their place in the final of the FIH Champions Trophy, being held in Nottingham. Not one of the more fancied teams coming into the tournament, the England women have performed very well, and their only low point was a 3-0 defeat by the number one ranked team Holland in their second match. But, after enacting a comeback against China, England really are on the threshold of making the final against the odds. England’s women were trailing at half time, as China struck early with a penalty corner. England dominated possession, but were unable to break down the Chinese, and rarely threatened an equaliser. The half time team talk though did wonders as it was an England with a completely different look which came out for the second half, throwing caution to the wind and attacking freely, consistently and with great technique. Hero of the victory over the hotly tipped Argentina, Helen Richardson struck again with her third penalty corner goal of the Champions Trophy to tie the match, and England never looked back.

Their second half performance against China, was probably England’s best half of the tournament, and the win was secured when Ashleigh Ball, who was one of the most impressive players of the match, broke forward and Charlotte Craddock tipped home a deflection to give the home nation the victory. That was England’s third win from four matches, and was a big mental barrier which they broke through, as it was the first time in FIH Champions Trophy history that they had beaten China. China hammered England 7-0 in last year’s tournament. Now they simply need to beat New Zealand on Saturday to book their place in the final, which will probably be against the Netherlands, but league-format tournament is still wide open as the final round of matches are played on Saturday.

New Zealand have conceded 15 goals in their four matches, and have scored just four themselves, and should be England’s easiest match. England just need to keep their self belief in what they are doing, in order to reach the final. After great, but narrow victories over strong opponents Germany and Argentina, England are tied on 9 points at the top of the league, after Argentina put on a stunning second half performance to beat favourites Holland. The two top ranked sides were level at half time, but Argentina stunned the Europeans by coming out very strong in the second. These results have left the tournament in a fascinating state of play, and the status of the FIH Champions Trophy is high, with only the Olympics and World Cup taking on higher standings of importance in the world of hockey. The tournament throws together six of the best teams in the world every year, and England are in with a shout of marking it being held in England for the first time, with a surprise victory. One thing which may work against England is their lack of scoring, which is behind the Netherlands, Argentina and Germany. England have so far relied on a tight game, with four of their six goals coming from penalty corners. The open creativity may not be quite there compared to the other teams, but England are showing a lot of spirit, and they should be full of confidence for their last match against the point-less New Zealanders.

England will be expected to beat the Kiwis to book their place in the final, and the other big match of the day sees first place Holland play Germany, while Argentina take on China. There is not much rest for the players, as the final matches are played on Sunday, with first in the league playing the second placed team in the final.

Saturday, July 17 FIH Champions Trophy Matches at Bwin

Netherlands to win: 1.65
Draw: 4.50
Germany to win: 3.50

New Zealand to win: 10.00
Draw: 7.00
England to win: 1.15

China to win: 5.75
Draw: 4.75
Argentina: 1.37

Right, well it may not be a 2010 FIFA World Cup match that will getting you rushing home from work to sit on the couch and tune it, but nonetheless it is a match which bring a lot of promise for your World Cup Betting. Why? Because all pointers are that Slovakia should be backed quite comfortably to bring yourself some profit. This is not one of those matches which should be too hard to call. Both teams are inexperienced at this top stage of World football, with the Kiwis just reaching one finals before, and Slovakia making their debut. So, while this may an international match of mystery, there are some pointers into which way this Group F Match will swing. The betting should favour the Slovakians heavily out of the pair, because they came through a tough qualification group, finishing top ahead of Slovenia. So what can we expect from these two nations? Well, the match should be a nice open one, with plenty of enthusiasm on the pitch, even if it is not going to be the highest quality match, but Slovakia should be the stronger entity of the two, in a match which, perhaps a little unfairly, expected to decide the wooden spoon. Why unfairly? Well, because the Slovakians may have more than a decent chance of pushing hard for second spot.

Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel for Slovakia, and Blackburn’s Kiwi star Ryan Nelson will probably be the only names that are recognisable to viewers, so there is a chance to perhaps watch some rising unknown stars, such as young Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik. Hamsik will be pulling all of the strings in the middle of the part for the European side, and should have a large influence on the game, along with striker Stanislav Sestak who hit six goals in six qualifying games. Slovakia are way ahead of New Zealand in the FIFA rankings, and that gulf in class should play out on the day, while the Kiwi’s main threat will come from the size of Shane Smeltz up front. But Slovakia are no slouches, and, as showed in European qualification, they are a very good technical side, who are ready to take on the World. They really do not have a lot to prove, as there is no pressure on them, as they are not expected to get out of the group with games to come against Paraguay and Italy. But, by opening their campaign against one of the weakest teams in the tournament, they have a great chance to score some goals and build up some momentum, and then, if they can take points of Paraguay, who knows?

New Zealand v Slovakia Betting Odds and Stats

Last 5 Matches
Slovakia 3, Costa Rica 0
Slovakia 1, Cameroon 1
Slovakia 0, Norway 1
Slovakia 1, Chile 2
Slovakia 1, USA 0

Slovenia 3, New Zealand 1
Serbia 0, New Zealand 1
Australia 2, New Zealand 1
Mexico 2, New Zealand 1
Jordan 1, New Zealand 3

Last 5 Match Goals
Slovakia: 6 For, 4 Against
New Zealand: 6 For, 8 Against

Recent Stats
Slovakia: P50, W22, D11, L17 with a 44.0% win percentage
New Zealand: P15, W2, D3, L10 with a 13.3% win percentage

Last 10 Match Form
Slovakia: DDWLWWLLDW
New Zealand: LLLLDWLLWL

Match Odds
Slovakia to win: 1/2 at Bet365
Draw: 16/5 at Totesport
New Zealand to win: 17/2 at Boylesports

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Basically just go for Slovakia in any way shape or form. The only question will be how big you want to back them? Are the White Caps that bad? Well, everything is to be taken into context. They lost heavily to Slovenia, and against Australia, but beat Serbia, while Slovakia too have slipped when least expected. Still, on the context of things, you’d expect Slovakia, having come through a tougher qualification process, to be the much better side when paired up. Just look at the recent stats above. This should be a fun Asian Handicap to call: Slovakia -0.75 is 3/5 at Bet365 and not too bad.

The ICC Twenty20 cricket tournament gets underway on April the 30th, with the final being held on May 16th, spread around four grounds in the host nation of the West Indies. St Lucia, Barbados, Guyana and St Kitts/Nevis will all host matches over the course of the tournament, with England, captained by Paul Collingwood, setting up shop in Guyana for their two group matches. The tournament is formatted with a Group Stage, from which the top two from each go through to the Super 8 stage, which consists of two groups of four. The top two of each then go onto the semi finals, and the finals respectively. If there are any drawn matches during the tournament, the Super Over will come into effect with each team batting one over each to determine supremacy.

Here are the groups for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, with a cricket betting preview for each of them:

Group A
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia
Pakistan won the tournament last year and are back to defend their title. Their victory was something was of a surprise, as they attended the tournament, held in England, under some adversity and lacking match practice. It is no great surprise that Pakistan has been in the headlines again for all the wrong reasons, as issues of discipline has led to all sorts of suspensions and bans from the international team. At full strength, Pakistan would be able to bring the most all round complete team to the ICC World Twenty20 party, but perhaps the adversity and scandals they have gone through this time, will be a step too far for them. They will be led by Shahid Afridi, and can still call upon some great talent, and have the best win percentage record in Twenty20 cricket, having won 75% of all of their games. Their victory in 2009 goes to show that anyone can win matches on their day, but there are of course favourites, and that crown will usually fall upon the head of Australia. The Aussies will go into the match brimming of confidence in their own ability to win. They fell short in the last tournament, somewhat famously, as they were knocked out in the group stages, and that failure to reach the Super 8’s meant that there has been something of a shake up. There is no Ricky Ponting for starters, as they Aussie Twenty20 side is captained by Michael Clarke, and they have packed the side with more specialists in the short format of the game. This should make them a lot more balanced and stronger, and the crucial fixture will of course be the one against Pakistan. After being outplayed by England during their recent tour to the subcontinent, Bangladesh will struggle against both of these nations, or at least they should. The Bangledesh side looks plucky, but without the world class talent needed to progress.
Projected Outcome: Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

Group B
Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka are a great batting side, and they reached the final at Lords in 2009, where they fell short against Pakistan. They do have awesome power throughout the side and should in all honesty be one of the favourites to win the tournament, or at least makes a great each way bet. They should be able to beat New Zealand quite comfortably one would suspect, and they realistically have the third best record in International Twenty20 matches. They should comfortably get through this group, as they have pace in attack, along with quality spin, which, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori thinks will prove vital on the West Indian tracks. New Zealand struggled to make any mark against Australia in any format of the game against them recently, and on paper they are not as good as the Sri Lankans. The Kiwis are generally in the mix of things though, but always appearing to play catch up to the stronger teams ahead of them in the World standings. Group B of the ICC World Twenty20 should be something of a formality, with Sri Lanka and New Zealand coasting through. Zimbabwe, back on the international scene, caused some surprises by picking up unexpected victories over the West Indies recently, until the West Indies finally got themselves together and retaliated somewhat. Much like Bangladesh, Zimbabwe should provide awkward opposition, if not the toughest.
Projected Outcome: Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe
   
Group C
South Africa, India, Afghanistan
A mighty tussle in Group C for the top spot will ensue between South Africa and India. India has a lot to prove after going into last year’s tournaments as one of the expected strongest forces. That did not pan out at all, and they only average around the 50% success rate in their International Twenty20 fixtures. It is somewhat surprising given the sheer amount of talent which India has to chose from, and the inaugural winners of the ICC World Twenty20 will be looking to redeem themselves this time around. It was against Pakistan which they won the final in 2007, and they will look as nothing less than a final appearance as a failure. With the recent conclusion of the IPL, in which a lot of India’s star participate, could mean that they are sharp, or could mean they are more fatigued than other nations. South Africa are probably the team to beat in the tournament, as they hold the best ICC Twenty20 record, in terms of win percentage, despite having not won the trophy. They have won 9 out of their 11 ICC World Twenty20 matches to top the table of averages for the tournament. Much like the Aussies, they have incredible talent throughout their batting line up, and if there is a slight concern over backing them strongly, then it could be in their bowling department, which may not be quite as strong and diverse as some of the other teams. Afghanistan take their place in the finals amongst the big boys, thanks to a great qualification tournament, in which they won a headline grabbing match against the USA. They reached the finals of the qualification tournament along with Ireland, the reward for each being given a place in the ICC World Twenty20 finals. They are insistent that they are not there to make up the numbers, but it will be one of the biggest shocks in cricket if they manage to qualify from a group with South Africa and India in it.
Projected Outcome: South Africa, India, Afghanistan

Group D
West Indies, England, Ireland
England should win this group with ease, but we all know that they are not the most proficient team in the short format of the game. They have lost more Twenty20 matches than they have won since entering the International world of the format, and they famously lost against the Netherlands in the group stage of last year’s tournament. The England side has taken on a much different shape now though, with something of a fearless opening pairing leading the way. Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb have played their way through the ranks of the England Lions to stake their claims for their full international spots. Paul Collingwood leads the way, and primary bowler Stuart Broad is confident that England can go deep into the tournament and win it. It is quite an exciting England line up actually, with Kieswetter, Lumb, Pietersen, Morgan in the batting line up, with Ravi Bopara knocking on the door to pay England back for some pretty disappointing performances for his country. Bopara performed very well in the recent IPL. The England selectors have taken three spinners with them (Graeme Swann, Michael Yardy and James Tredwell) which could definitely gives them an edge in the bowling department. After breezing past Bangladesh in the format recently, it should at least give them some kind of confidence going into the tournament, and if they are going to be genuine challengers for the trophy, then they should not face any hassles against the West Indies or Ireland. The West Indies have been struggling for any kind of foothold on the World stage for sometime, after being destroyed by Australia and losing matches to Zimbabwe. Ireland, who qualified strongly through the qualification tournament would dearly love a victory against England, but they could pose problems to the West Indies.
Projected Outcome: England, West Indies Ireland

England Group Stage Schedule
 
Mon 03 17:30 GMT
West Indies (8/11 at Ladbrokes) v England (Evens at Ladbrokes)
Providence Stadium, Guyana

Tue 04 17:30 GMT
England (1/9 at Ladbrokes) v Ireland (5/1 at Paddy Power)
Providence Stadium, Guyana

ICC World Twenty20 Outright Betting
Australia: 7/2 at Bet365
India: 9/2 at SkyBet
South Africa: 5/1 at Blue Square
Sri Lanka: 6/1 at Totesport
England: 10/1 at Coral
West Indies: 10/1 at Bet365
Pakistan: 12/1 at Boylesports
New Zealand: 12/1 at William Hill
Bangladesh: 66/1 at SkyBet
Zimbabwe: 300/1 at Victor Chandler
Ireland: 500/1 at Ladbrokes
Afghanistan: 750/1 at Bet365

All the cricket betting attention turns towards the One Day action in New Zealand, as the Black Caps look to take down their old foes Australia in a prospectively thrilling five match series. The two sides produced an edge-of-the-seat thriller in the second of two Twenty20 Internationals, needing a Super Over (equivalent of a football penalty shoot out) to decide the winner, after both teams had finished level on runs. The Kiwis won that one with a cracking performance from Brendon McCullum over all on the day, tying the series at one a piece.

If you are looking for betting strategies beyond the match and series outrights, Kiwi bowler Tim Southee is one to watch out for, as he looks sharp at the moment, and in line to be New Zealand’s top performer with the ball in the One Day series. There are two Test Matches between the nations to follow after the five One Day International encounters. The series stars in Napier, which, historically has been a happy hunting ground for batsmen, with some heavy scoring on the pitch.

New Zealand have won just 13 of 41 One Day International matches against Australia on home turf, and the Australians look to have the firm upper hand again. Australia are looking their normal formidable selves over their summer, with triumphs against Pakistan and the West Indies. New Zealand will be firm underdogs in the series, despite being on a bit of a winning streak themselves in ODI. They thrashed Bangladesh 3-0 recently, but of course, facing a quality Australia is a whole different prospect.

For the Kiwis to win, they need the likes of Brendon McCullum to consistently spark, and they have drafted Scott Styris back into the team to add some weight and stability to the batting. The Black Caps will also need to keep the bowling tight. For that, Southee, captain Daniel Vettori and Shane Bond will have an enormous task against the big hitting Aussies. But trying to cage Australian batsmen, is one of the toughest jobs in the cricketing world. After retiring from international Twenty20, Australia welcome back Ricky Ponting to the side to make for a powerful batting line up, alongside the likes of Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and Cameron White.

New Zealand v Australian First ODI Outright
Australia to win: 2/5 at Blue Square
New Zealand to win: 11/5 at Bet365

ODI Series Outright Betting (Five Matches)
Australia – 1/4 at Bet365
New Zealand – 3/1 at Totesport