What started off as an incredibly even season of rugby sevens has quite quickly gravitated to a rather familiar scene. With the penultimate HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series event taking place in Toulouse, France this weekend, New Zealand has a chance to clinch their 13th year-end title if they win on Sunday.
The year-end title is not all that’s up for grabs in Toulouse, however. Qualification to the 2024 Olympics, as well as the avoidance of relegation for next year’s circuit are also on the line at the Toulouse Sevens 2023. With plenty to play for, we break down all the latest odds from bookmaker bet365 and offer up the best bets to make ahead of Friday’s first game.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: May 11th, 4:30 A.M. (GMT)
Looking at the outright winner odds from bet365, New Zealand is the strong favourite to win their fifth title of the season in Toulouse. Despite not having won in France since 2004, the Kiwis are 2.70 favourites, ahead of the next best in the odds in Fiji at 4.33. New Zealand’s main rival this season, Argentina, is third favourite at 6.00 with hosts France paying 8.00 and Australia just behind on 8.50.
When it comes to picking a winner in Toulouse, we say the bookies have got this one right in terms of their top teams. It’s hard to see a side that isn’t New Zealand, Fiji, France or Argentina winning. The Kiwis have won four of the past five tournaments and have only missed one final since Dubai. Having won Hong Kong and Singapore, they arrive in Toulouse in hot form and ready to seal the deal on their 13th year-end title.
Despite the strong argument for New Zealand winning, we see more value in a bet on either France or Argentina. Argentina has solidly been the next best team this season after New Zealand, winning two titles and making two finals. They sit 24 points behind New Zealand on the points table and are the only realistic option of claiming the year-end title other than the Kiwis. While they may not be a sure thing in Toulouse, odds of 6.00 feel like good value and it would be no surprise if the Argentinians denied New Zealand and took the series to its final event in London.
France, too, is a solid bet. They return a lucrative 8.00 and have showed promising signs in 2023. They’ve made the semi-finals or better in two of the past three events, even losing in the Vancouver final to Argentina. Last year in Toulouse, they came in third—can they go two better in 2023 and lift the title? Perhaps this side that has been showing promise just needs the added motivation of a home crowd and Olympics qualification.
