2011 Tri Nations Rugby Betting Odds, Tips and Preview – July 23rd – August 27th, 2011

Sports Betting

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