Rugby World Cup quarter-finals betting tips and predictions

Only eight teams remain in the hunt for the 2019 Rugby World Cup title.

Australia, England, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales advanced from the pool stage and will duke it out in the RWC quarter-finals this weekend.

While there are four clear favourites to reach the semis, past results show that anything can happen in the knockout rounds.

Let’s take a look at the latest Rugby World Cup odds and the best bets on offer at the world’s top rugby betting sites.

Bovada

$250

Claim a 50% deposit bonus up to the value of USD $250

read review Bet Now

England vs Australia

4:15pm local time on Saturday, October 19 at Showa Denko Dome, Oita

England – -322.58 at Bovada
Australia – +250

Although their clash with France was scrapped due to dangerous weather, England went through as the undefeated champions of Pool C. They are carrying a few injury concerns into the quarters, but Billy Vunipola is expected to start after battling an ankle strain.

Michael Cheika got a good look at his Wallabies squad in the pool stage and is expected to pick teen star Jordan Petaia ahead of James O’Connor at outside centre. Will Genia, Reece Hodge and the much-discussed duo of Michael Hooper and David Pocock are also tipped for the starting XV.

Australia were unlucky in their four-point loss to Wales in the pools and will want to make a statement in Oita on Saturday, but the Brits look too good on paper and should do enough to reach the semis.

England to win by 1-12 points – +180 at Bovada

New Zealand vs Ireland

7:15pm local time on Saturday, October 19 at Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo

New Zealand – -526.32 at Bovada
Ireland – +375

Like England, the All Blacks were denied the chance to go 4-0 in the pools when their clash with Italy was cancelled. That didn’t change much, however, as New Zealand had all but guaranteed top spot in Pool B with a confident 23-13 victory over South Africa in their opening game.

An upset loss to Japan meant Ireland had to settle for second place in Pool A. The Irish media have had plenty to say about NZ’s line-toeing approach in the lead-up to Saturday’s fixture, so it will be interesting to see how the players go about their business.

The Kiwis should be well rested, as their non-starter with Italy came after easy wins over Canada (63-0) and Namibia (71-9). Ireland have responded well to the Japan defeat, but they will have to play out of their skins to keep up with NZ.

New Zealand to win by 13+ points – -103.09 at Bovada

Wales vs France

4:15pm local time on Sunday, October 20 at Showa Denko Dome, Oita

Wales – -250 at Bovada
France – +200

They might have had the rub of the green in their 29-25 win over Australia, but few would deny Wales were deserving winners of Pool D. They are one of two teams to carry a perfect record into the knockout phase and will start as favourites in Kyushu.

France are also unbeaten, having dodged a date with England, but they had plenty of scary moments in the pool stage. They edged out Argentina for a 23-21 win in their opening fixture and achieved the exact same scoreline against Tonga, either side of a 33-9 win over the United States.

Online bookmakers have this down as the tightest contest of the RWC 2019 quarter-finals. While France are very good on their day and boast a commendable Rugby World Cup record, the Welsh have too many weapons and should advance to the last four.

Wales to score first and win – +100 at Bovada

Japan vs South Africa

7:15pm local time on Sunday, October 20 at Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo

Japan – +450 at Bovada
South Africa – -666.67

Remarkably, Japan enter the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time as one of the two teams that hold a perfect record. Momentous wins over Ireland (19-12) and Scotland (28-21) will give the hosts plenty of confidence as they venture into uncharted territory.

South Africa’s opening loss to New Zealand meant it was always going to be a tough ask to top Pool B, but they followed it up with three commanding performances to finish only a point behind the All Blacks. The highlight was the 49-3 trouncing of Italy, who finished third in the group.

The Springboks are the shortest favourites of the quarters, but their infamous defeat to Japan in the 2015 Rugby World Cup lives long in the memory. The Cherry Blossoms have shown they can match it with established teams, so there is some sense in backing them to cover a generous spread.

Japan +15 handicap – -116.28 at Bovada