12 Jun 2019
After a jam packed first weekend of Autumn Internationals action which saw England achieve a somewhat controversial last gasp win against South Africa, and Wales extend an impressive home record against Scotland, it’s all things rugby again this weekend.
In round two of November’s fixtures, England’s match-up against New Zealand is the undoubted highlight as Chris Ashton returns to Eddie Jones’ England side for the first time in four years. Elsewhere, it’s Wales vs Australia that looks the pick of the bunch.
Here we break down all the key talking points ahead of those fixtures…
England vs New Zealand
New Zealand have lost just four of their last 29 matches and will without question be the favourites in this one at rugby union betting odds of 2/11 to win on Saturday. That’s not to say, however, that England won’t provide them with a strong challenge.
Although many will feel England were somewhat lucky to sneak a 12-11 win over South Africa in their opening Autumn Internationals fixture, that same South African side beat New Zealand by 36 points to 34 as recently as September.
That will give an England side that will make just three changes confidence going into the game. Of those changes, it’s the return of Chris Ashton that will no doubt raise most eyebrows. After a string of disciplinary woes, many questioned whether Ashton would ever return to the fold.
Eddie Jones clearly sees the man for his value though and in the build-up has expressed a ‘gut feeling’ that he will flourish on Saturday. As a player that is great at running inside, he’s scored 19 tries in his 40 England appearances. Better still, in his only appearance for club side Sale this season, he scored a hat-trick.
If he can find that sort of form, then England will hope they can relive their last win against the All Blacks. Way back in 2012, Ashton scored a try as England ran out 38-21 winners at Twickenham.
Strangely, as two of the best sides in the world, the two sides haven’t met since a narrow 24-21 win for New Zealand back in November 2014 at Twickenham. For England, the kicking game could be vital to again run New Zealand that close and hopefully sneak a win.
New Zealand fly half Beauden Barrett is fancied by many to become the first man to ever win the World Player of the Year Award three years in a row at the end of this month, but despite an incredible record of 31 tries in 70 tests from that position, his kicking off the tee is less impressive.
At a success rate of 66% so far this year, England’s number ten Owen Farrell stacks up favourably with a success rate of 74%. If England can capitalise that, they could just nick it at betting odds of 9/2 to win at Twickenham.
A good bet could also be to vouch for them to win by 1-5 points at odds of 12/1.
Wales vs Australia
Our top tip for this one would be to go for an Australia win at betting odds of 11/10. Despite a poor run of results of late, the Wallabies have won their last eight at the Principality Stadium and haven’t tasted defeat against Wales in their last 13 tests.
Wales do however come into this Pool D World Cup ‘preview’ match on a six-game winning streak. In this likely battle of the back rows, they’ll hope to extend that.
Of the 13 that they have lost on the trot against Australia, only twice have those defeats been by a double-figure margin. Therefore, buoyed by the home crowd we make a narrow Welsh victory of five points or less an enticing bet at rugby union betting odds of 9/2.
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