All Blacks are given the edge over the Springboks in the rugby world cup final

New Zealand are being narrowly favoured over South Africa as Boylesports has made them 8/11 favourites to be crowned champions for the fourth time in Saturday’s Rugby World Final in Paris. 

The Springboks had been favourites at the semi-stage to get their hands on the Webb Ellis Cup, but their laboured 16-15 victory over England has shifted support towards the All Blacks, who made easier work of their semi-final contest with Argentina. 

BoyleSports spoke with former Springbok legend and World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad on who he thinks will win this weekend’s final.

He said: “I think it’s going to be an unbelievable week of preparation.

“We’ve still got a few little nuances to go through when you see the teams and you see the final selections and final strategies that are put together by the coaching staff, we will be informed and influenced, but I think we’re going to see an incredible match between two great countries that take each other on in this game that they love so much. 

“I’ve got to go with my heart and say that South Africa will be good enough.

“New Zealand will not take a backwards step so we’re going to have to make sure we get the right players on the field at the right time and if we do that, then I believe with us at 100%, and them at 100%, we [South Africa] will win the World Cup final by 23-18.”

And Bobby also thinks the recent announcements of a significant overhaul of the men’s international calendar by World Rugby, will bode well for Ireland’s future chances: “I think Ireland are just going to get better and better.

“ I think Johnny Sexton has obviously been key and has been a linchpin in the Leinster performances and the Leinster accumulation of trophies and accolades, and he will be personally very disappointed, but I certainly think Ireland are building for the future and I think they’ve got the opportunity now to look at what they did right and what they did wrong and to repair that.

“I think they have to have a long-term approach to it, because we just had some announcements from World Rugby where there’s going to be competitions every two years, there’s going to be ranking and re-ranking, there’s going to be promotion and relegation.

“I think you’ve got to take the core of this team that are still mid to late twenties and go to the next World Cup and even the next one and then build around that. I think Ireland have got so much talent, so much coaching talent and so much support from their own union that the Senior teams can churn out great competitive rugby for a long, long time.”  

Rugby World Cup Betting:

Rugby World Cup Winner     8/11      New Zealand       11/10    South Africa

Handicap Betting       10/11    New Zealand (-2)      18/1      Draw        10/11    South Africa (+2)

Bronze Final        4/11      England          25/1      Draw         9/4        Argentina