This weekend is Week 3 of the Rugby Championship, and it’s fair to say that after the previous round of results, making our Rugby Union betting picks for this weekend won’t be easy.
Both matches produced shock outcomes. The immediate upshot of it all is that Argentina now sits proudly at the top of the 2022 Rugby Championship table, with the All Blacks bottom. I don’t think too many people saw that coming at the start of the competition!
What a result for @lospumas! 🇦🇷
Argentina record their biggest ever win against the Wallabies as they win 48-17! 👏#ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/6eoMXw6lrJ
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) August 13, 2022
The bigger picture is slightly different though. Yes, it was great to see Argentina get their first win since the Ice Age, but the real story of the weekend was the re-emergence of the All Blacks.
Foster Off The Hook; For Now!
Ian Foster’s side was on the ropes after losing to South Africa in Week 1, and Foster himself could well have been out of a job had Week 2 been the same. Luckily for Foster, his All Blacks team managed to turn the tables, and with back-to-back matches to come at home to Argentina, all of a sudden, things look very different for Foster and his team.
If results go as expected, it should be two routine wins for the All Blacks. That in turn could see the table flip on its head, with Argentina and New Zealand swapping places.
As bad as things have been for the All Blacks recently, it really is unthinkable to believe that they will get anything other than two wins in their next two matches. It really would spell the end for Foster should there be any other outcome. And even Foster’s biggest allies couldn’t defend him in such a situation.
Latest 2022 Rugby Championship Betting Odds
| 2022 Rugby Championship Winner Betting |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | -300 | -300 |
| South Africa | +335 | +350 |
| Australia | +1000 | +900 |
| Argentina | +3500 | +3000 |
New Zealand's win over South Africa has seen them return to favorites to win the championship in the latest rugby betting odds.
Right, onto this weekend’s matches, and with it being home fixtures for both the Wallabies and the All Blacks, I’m afraid to say, they’re not favorable hours for all us folk in the Eastern Time Zone.
Can Aussies Bounce Back Against The Springboks?
Even though the Aussies were ravaged by injuries last time out, they will still regard losing 48-17 to Argentina as a humiliation. It wasn't the first, and it won't be the last time that Australia has to play with an injury-hit squad. Put simply, it is no excuse.
As for the Springboks, they will be bitterly disappointed with their loss at home to the All Blacks. Jacques Nienaber really would have hoped and expected more from his team. They had everything on their side going into Week 2.
They had comfortably beaten the All Blacks in Week 1, they had home advantage, and New Zealand was under all sorts of pressure following a poor run of results that almost cost head coach Ian Foster his job.
So to lose under those circumstances must have really felt like a kick in the teeth for Nienaber.
- What; Australia v South Africa
- Where; Adelaide Oval, North Adelaide, South Australia
- When; Saturday, August 27th, 2022
- Time; 1.30 am ET
Unfortunately for the Boks, they now have back-to-back matches in Australia, a country where they don't have a great recent record.
The Boks haven't won here since 2013, and unless they can change that record over the next two matches, they can almost certainly kiss goodbye to the Rugby Championship for another 12 months.
In the Handicap, South Africa is giving Australia a +4.5 points start. While on the Moneyline the Boks are the favorite at -233, with Australia at +155 with the best online rugby betting sites.
It's hard to back a team who has just been smashed by Argentina, but I also can't back a team who hasn't won in Australia since 2013 at -233.
But that said, this is a poor Australia side. So the only value pick I can see is to take South Africa on the Handicap, at least it's close to even money.
Revitaizled New Zealand set to smash Pumas
Something tells me that Argentina played their cup final in Week 2 when they dismantled Australia. It was a great day for Argentinian rugby, and no doubt they will be looking to build on that record 48-17 win over Australia.
But as much as I would never have predicted that the Pumas would currently sit top of the Rugby Championship table, I can't see the shocks continuing this weekend.
- What; New Zealand v Argentina
- Where; Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
- When; Saturday, August 27th, 2022
- Time; 3.45 am ET
The All Blacks weren't at their total best for the whole 80 minutes against South Africa in Week 2. But they learned their lesson from the opening weekend.
Game Set and Match ✅
The All Blacks dot down four times to beat the Springboks 35-23 and retain the Freedom Cup ⬛🏆 pic.twitter.com/IxOkydk7xY
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 13, 2022
And with the Pumas also operating a kicking and physical gameplan, similar to that of the Boks, the All Blacks have had a good warm-up for this Saturday's fixture.
New Zealand is -5000 favorites to win on the Moneyline with the best online betting sites. I'm not going near that. I'm also not going near the +850 available on Argentina to win.
Instead, I'm looking at the Handicap market. Argentina has a start of +21.5, and although that's a hell of a start, the Handicap is the only bet in town.
I think the All Blacks can do it. They released the shackles with their win over South Africa, and I make New Zealand (-21.5) on the Handicap my betting pick.
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