Good luck with your wager, although the way that the handicap betting has gone in this tournament, I would prefer to be on Argentina +20 in the expectation that they will give it 110 per cent and keep the game relatively close. Obviously the All Blacks will be hoping that they bash ten bells out of each other so that the winner shows up battered and bruised for the Final.
My gut instinct was to sit out the All Blacks -8 handicap yesterday and I'd be even more dubious of Australia at -6. As much as I think they'll progress to the final that everyone's expecting as we saw yesterday these matches are often very tight, nervous affairs. I'm tempted by Argentina at +6 but not enough to have a punt.
You are right – I just looked on Oddschecker and Australia -21 is 6/1. Looking at the six point handicap, if you are prepared to ignore the possibility of a draw (i.e. Aussies win by exactly six), you can back both teams (Evens and 11/10) and guarantee a meagre win. No rain forecast.
Australian Semi History. 1987. Aust 24 - 30 France. 1991. Aust. 16 - 6 NZ. 1995. No Semi. 1999. S. A. 21-27 Aust. 2003. Aust 22 - 10 NZ. 2007. None. 2011. NZ 20 - 6 Aust. Australia's Semis have not always been close, so maybe a punt might be the go.
Lord, you certainly don't sit on the fence, TopClass. I prefer to lose my tiny amounts of dosh on losing at horseracing, which I am expert at, rather than handicap bets on football or rugby. Good luck, but for me, no thanks! Other than a straight bet on NZ yesterday, surely no one won on a handicap bet in this game?
I think quite a few might have had a win yesterday Swanny. I wouldn't have, but SA were not the no hopers some wrote then off as. They would have been pumped for the game, and when they fire, nobody will run over the top of them. And it they couldn't lift for a WC Semi, then when?
Agree, Cyc, but I would never say SA were no-hopers in Rugby Union, no way. Those who did have a straight win bet on the Kiwis must have been having kittens?
Poor decision making from the Aussies allowing Argentina to stay in this unfortunately from my perspective. If the Aussies would actually just hang on to the ball instead of kicking away possession they really ought to pull clear.
TMO is a joke. Insists ref sin bins the Argentinian in the first half even though Wayne Barnes is clearly reluctant then says fook all when the Aussie throws it forward for the match clinching try.
Argies shot themselves in the foot throughout. No complaints though, the two best teams have reached the final. Should be a cracker.
I actually think the 14pt margin flattered the Aussies big time. That try shouldn't have stood, and they were gifted a 7 pt start too with the Argies doing everything bar touching down for them inside the first minute or so. Best two teams reached the final however and to simply put it, it's the best attack against the best defence. Shame for someone banging on about this obvious final for a while I never put a penny on it, was around 7/2 when I first considered it New Zealand will win it, I'd guess the handicap will be around 6 pts and I'd fancy the All Blacks to cover that. They'll want to prove a point on the biggest stage of all.
A sprinkling of 3s about the Wallabies. Not bad seeing that they won the Rugby Championship and had a win each in the Bledisloe.
That's fair value for the Aussies definitely. I had 1 bet on a match throughout the whole tournament that lost, I was contemplating backing the Aussies at 9/1 O/R at the beginning and didn't, I then said New Zealand won't get beaten after the French game but I'm still non the wiser to be honest Heart says Austrailia, head New Zealand. Should be a cracker.
It's all gonna be left out there on the field come the final- a one-off game for glory. The Aussies against their old rivals should never be completely written off. We have seen glimpses of the Aussie quality but the constant errors of the last two games will cost them dearly if doing so again. Anything can happen in a final- but the Aussies must keep the penalty count down. If NZ build a lead they will be tough to catch.
