Australia v New Zealand Rugby World Cup betting, brings us yet another great encounter between the two giants of international rugby. Is there a more mouth watering prospect than seeing these two come together? Host nation New Zealand will certainly have the Eden Park crowd on their site when they step out for the semi final against their bitter rivals. The All Blacks came through some tough tackling and an early score against them in their semi final against Argentina, and they look as if they still have more to offer. It look them a long time to make it over the Pumas try line, and there was almost a sense of the All Blacks being nervous. So there is a hint that they haven’t risen to the occasion yet, and that could spell danger for the Wallabies. Yes, the All Blacks have suffered perhaps the cruellest injury which they could possibly have had, losing star man Dan Carter to a groin injury picked up in training. Coach Graham Henry has made three changes for the match. It looks as if the All Blacks are going to go with Aaron Cruden, who was called up to the squad as a replacement, to start the match at number ten. Cruden has a massive chance to propel himself up the number ten ranks in the famous All Blacks shirt, especially with Colin Slade out through injury as well. Cruden really is in one of those situations where he has nothing to lose, coming in as third choice number 10. His partnership with scrum half Piri Weepu (who kicked 7/7 against Argentina) will be vital, and it is given another chance after the quarter final. More importantly though, captain Richie McCaw will get to lead his side out for the semi final. There had been more concerns about McCaw’s fitness, but he has been named as a starter, and without Carter, this is an occasion where McCaw, arguably the best number 7 in the world, needs to project his leadership even more.
New Zealand v Australia Rugby Betting Odds
New Zealand to win: 5/11 at BetFair
Draw: 25/1 at Bet365
Australia to win: 12/5 at Totesport
There is pressure on the hosts in New Zealand v Australia betting, of that there is no doubt. Pressure to get back at Australia after losing to the Wallabies in the final Tri Nations match. Pressure to live up to expectations. Pressure to perform as we know the Kiwis can. All right, the All Blacks had back to back slip ups in the Tri Nations, with a defeat against South Africa preceding the Australian loss. But they are still the side which, if you were making up an international fifteen, would be the most highly represented country. They are a very balanced and experienced side and they have the ability to run from deep. Whether it is Cory Jane, Ma’a Nonu or the recalled full back Israel Dagg running at opposition, what the New Zealanders have is support. There is always a man on the shoulder, ready to off load to and get over the gain line. The All Blacks dispatched France easily enough in their Pool match, and having the easiest quarter final draw of the four semi finalists, they maybe have not felt the full force of the pressure yet. But it doesn’t get any bigger than taking on Australia. If New Zealand don’t turn up and play to their potential, then this is a game which they can lose. You don’t often talk about New Zealand losing, even when they are not fully on top of their game. But they will face a hungry Australia and that will be dangerous for them. But we can look at the All Blacks in New Zealand v Australia Rugby World Cup semi final betting and seriously get behind the host nation. The defining factor could be this: New Zealand have not peaked yet, not at any point in the competition, although they have scored big points. There is more to come from them, and let’s not forget the way that they did beat Australia in the Tri Nations on Kiwi soil. New Zealand were far more controlled then than they were in Australia for the reverse fixture. If it comes to a battle up front, would take the Kiwis and they perhaps, with their experience advantage over a young Australian side just have a slight edge.
The man in the green and gold which the All Blacks will have to watch out for will be fly half Quade Cooper. The Wallaby is a real maverick, an pretty indicative of the way that Australia rugby is going. Like Wales, Australia sent a very young side to the 2011 Rugby World Cup and Cooper is often the man who makes it all tick. Excpet that the Australian machine has not been ticking quite as efficiently as it promised too after the thrilling Tri Nations conclusion. There was the Pool match defeat against Ireland, when the Wallabies pack was obliterated up front, and then the narrow 11-9 victory over the defending champions, South Africa in the quarter finals. That really was a big grinding match, in which Australia really had to dig deep to claw their way back into. Maybe that scrappy, yet dogged win was just the thing that Australia needed in order to keep their feet on the ground. But they were second best for much of the match against the wise old heads of the Springboks and rarely threatened the South African try line. But, they have to be confident of taking out New Zealand again, simply because of their winning tactics when attack was everything in that Tri Nations victory. It was a brave attacking display, almost throwing defensive caution to the wind and that was what was so exciting and thrilling about it all. The thing about Quade Cooper is that he is just as likely to be Australia’s downfall, be he tries things and sometimes he can be a bit hit and miss. Cooper is not popular with the All Blacks, and a lot was said about him for getting away with a knee to the head of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in the Tri Nations. So there is not going to be any love lost between the partisan Kiwi crowd and Cooper. The Wallabies may miss full back Kurtley Beale, but Will Genia, another of the superb young string pullers that Australia have, is confident that Australia’s attack can overpower the Kiwis again. Australia probably need to keep it open, because their pack may lose ground in the scrum. The Aussies have not won at Eden Park since 1986, but the pressure is all on the Kiwis in front of their home crowd. Evenly matched. Who will handle the pressure?
Make no mistake, whatever other good performances are being put in around the World Cup, New Zealand are still the best side in the world. They are the side by which to set standards. Australia are a young side, a work still in progress and while the Kiwis haven’t really been tested, unless Cruden crumbles don’t think that Australia are quite going to have enough on New Zealand territory. We were championing Australia coming into the tournament and they have tons of potential, more than Wales, more than France. However they don’t look as if they have quite put it all together to peak for the semi.
New Zealand v Australia Rugby Handicap Betting: New Zealand -7 for Evens at Bet365
New Zealand v Australia Rugby Betting Head to Head Stats
Aug 2011: Australia 25, New Zealand 20
Aug 2011: New Zealand 30, Australia 14
Oct 2010: Australia 26, New Zealand 24
Sep 2010: Australia 22, New Zealand 23
Aug 2007: New Zealand 20, Australia 10
Out of 142 meetings between the two sides, the All Blacks have won a staggering 96 matches. Yes, that is around 67% of all matches, with the Wallabies winning 41 and five draws completed. Recent matches between them have been quite close, but New Zealand average almost 6 points more per match when the two sides come together, than Australia. On average, the Kiwis score 19 points per match against Australia, while Australia average 13 points per match against New Zealand.
