The Rugby Union World Cup is upon us, so get ready to check out what we have to offer at Freebets.co.uk! We are offering the best bets, best predictions and best offers on the 2019 World Cup, as well as telling you the top sites to bet on. Who will be the winner of the World Cup? Who is the favourite? Read on to find out!
Rugby World Cup 2019
The Rugby Union World Cup is considered the pinnacle of the sport. Played every four years between the best international sides, the Webb Ellis Trophy is contested for over the course of a month of intense competition. A fairly new competition, the Rugby Union World Cup was first played in 1987 where New Zealand came out on top of 16 countries.
Where will the Rugby Union World Cup be played?
The 2019 Rugby World Cup will be played across Japan. 12 stadiums will host fixtures with the International Stadium Yokohama holding the biggest capacity of over 72,000 fans. This will be the stadium which hosts the final on November 2nd where the eyes of the world will be awaiting the 2019 champions.
Rugby World Cup schedule
The World Cup will last from September 20th until November 2nd. These six weeks of action will start with the group phase, where the 20 teams are split into four pools of five teams. Each team will content four matches in their allocated pool in a Round Robin format – the top two teams will progress from each group, with the side that finishes in third getting a guaranteed place in the 2023 edition. The semi-finals will be played on the 26th and 27th October with a week gap before the Bronze Final and Final.
Which teams are in the Rugby World Cup?
20 teams will contest this year’s competition. New Zealand (reigning champions), England, South Africa, Ireland, Wales, Australia, France, Argentina, Scotland, Japan, Fiji, Italy, Samoa, Tonga, Georgia, USA, Canada, Russia, Uruguay and Namibia will all take to the field, with only New Zealand (3), Australia, South Africa (2) and England being able to claim ownership of the Webb Ellis Trophy in the past.
Who will win the Rugby World Cup?
New Zealand are the current favourites to win the World Cup @ 5/4 with bet365. The All Blacks are formidable in this format, with previous wins in 1987, 2011 and 2015 underlining their dominance. The last team to win a World Cup that wasn’t New Zealand was South Africa in 2007.
Coach Steve Hansen has continued to guide the All Blacks in the right direction after years of dominance, however, there may be a few cracks appearing in the run up to the 2019 edition. A recent draw with South Africa and a loss to Australia has caused concerns for the Kiwis looking for an unprecedented third crown in a row – this being said, it’s down to the chasing pack to take advantages of these shortcomings.
England are back playing well under Eddie Jones, and at a 4/1 shot with Bet365, they look the best placed to run the All Blacks close in Japan. If the pool stage goes to form, we could well see a New Zealand vs England semi-final, so in that case, South Africa or Ireland may run close towards the final. English prop Mako Vunipola is sidelined once again after re-injuring a troublesome hamstring in England’s warm-up win over Ireland in Twickenham – other than that, Jack Nowell is the only other injury concern for the 2003 winners.
How do I get Rugby World Cup free bets?
Check out the following links to access the best Rugby World Cup free bets. You’ll find detailed content from our dedicated team of writers finding you the best value this autumn.
Enhanced odds on top Rugby World Cup matches
Rugby World Cup betting offers
Rugby World Cup free bets
Rugby World Cup past winners
Only four teams have had the honour of winning the Rugby World Cup: 1987 – New Zealand, 1991 – Australia, 1995 – South Africa, 1999 – Australia, 2003 – England, 2007 – South Africa, 2011 – New Zealand, 2015 – New Zealand.
Rugby World Cup betting markets
There are plenty of betting markets for you to get your teeth stuck into for this World Cup. Apart from the regular outright winners market, you can bet on the following:
- Winner of each individual pool
- Team to reach the final, semi-final or quarter-final
- Name the finalists
- Stage of elimination for a team
- Total tournament points for a team.
During individual matches you’ll also have the chance to bet on the following:
- Winning margin for a particular team
- The highest scoring half
- Who will be leading after a set amount of minutes
- Which team will score first
Hundreds of markets will be available over the six weeks of unmissable action!
Enhanced odds for the Rugby World Cup
Many bookmakers will offer enhanced odds on certain betting markets for the Rugby World Cup. This is where the particular company will give you better odds than their rivals for particular outcomes. Check out these great offers and take advantage of the fantastic prices!
Betting tips for the Rugby World Cup
New Zealand are fairly short at 5/4 in a competition that often throws up surprises. Because of the format, looking at an outsider to reach the final is where real value lies.
If we are to assume that England and New Zealand win their pools then they are likely to meet in the semi-finals, this gives the likes of either Australia, Wales or Ireland to reach the final if the tournament goes to form. I like this bet with Australia. Despite the Wallabies being slightly out of form, you’d fancy them if their backs are up against the wall in a winnable semi-final. 9/2 (Bet365) for them to get to the final is a tempting price.
Wales to win Pool D comes in at 8/11 (Bet365). Warren Gatland’s side are well placed to beat the Australian side to top spot and are likely to avoid England in the quarter-finals if they do so.
Check out our new Rugby World Cup tips & prediction section here.
Best betting offers for the Rugby World Cup
William Hill are offering a free £5 free bet to use on any Rugby World Cup market if you place a £10 win or a £5 each way bet on any pre-match Rugby World Cup market. The bet must be placed with odds great than 1/2 in order to qualify.
Paddy Power are offering something similar with a £5 free bet if you bet £10 on the Rugby World Cup.
How to watch the Rugby World Cup – live streaming
Many bookmakers will offer you the opportunity to live stream matches from the Rugby World Cup if you place a bet or simply join the website. There are also plenty of other alternatives of live streaming site here to ensure you don’t miss a second of the action in Japan!
