International rugby returns to the Southern Hemisphere this weekend as the Rugby Championship 2023 kicks off on July 8th. In what will be a condensed format courtesy of the impending Rugby World Cup, all four teams will be eager to gain some much needed momentum ahead of the year’s big tournament this September.
Can the All Blacks shake off their poor season in 2022 and win the Rugby Championship in a World Cup year for the first time in over a decade? Or will Australia under Eddie Jones be a resurgent force? What about defending World Cup champions South Africa or an Argentinian side that claimed some big scalps last year? We break down all the latest Rugby Championship 2023 odds from bookmaker William Hill and outline the best bets to make ahead of the tournament’s start this weekend.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: July 6th, 12:30 A.M. (GMT)
Looking at the outright betting odds, it’s no surprise that New Zealand is yet again the favourite to win the Rugby Championship. With odds of 1.73, the All Blacks lead second favourite South Africa in the betting odds, who pays 2.87 for an outright win. Trailing these two, Australia is a moderate underdog at 6.50, while Argentina is a genuine long shot with odds of 26.00.
This is a fascinating Rugby Championship for two reasons. First, the format is condensed with only three matches per team occurring over the next three weeks. This provides more opportunities for upsets than the traditional six round format. Second, teams will primarily be focused on the Rugby World Cup, meaning there may be some unorthodox selections in this tournament.
Based on these two factors, we say that the All Blacks will go against their usual pattern and win the Rugby Championship, despite it being a World Cup year. While New Zealand is historically dominant in this competition, they have a habit of not winning when their focus is on later in the year. However, this season, the All Blacks will likely be approaching their run to the World Cup differently. Because of how poor 2022 was, they’ll know that getting some confidence into their squad is crucial ahead of September.
We expect New Zealand to consistently play their strongest team, looking to drill their combinations and develop some healthy momentum heading into the Rugby World Cup. The Kiwis are helped by the fact that their toughest game is at home—against South Africa—and while two away matches against Argentina and Australia will be no walks in the park, they should get three wins from three this year and win the Rugby Championship 2023.
