The IRB rankings for the 2015 World Cup will be decided at
the end of this month’s Autumn Internationals but there’s no questioning the
No.1 side at the World and Steve Hansen’s New Zealand can put down a marker by
blowing away Scotland here at Murrayfield today. Since ending years of disappointment
and then winning the World Cup, there was always the potential for the highest
of standards to slip but Steve Hansen has wasted no time in creating an identity
of his own for the All Blacks and if anything their status as the World’s best
team is even truer now than when at the end of the World Cup.
The last team to beat New Zealand was Australia at the end of
the Tri Nations last year but since then they’ve gone unbeaten in 18, having
been a Dan Carter drop goal away from denying a fired up Australia in a hot
headed Blesidoe Cup encounter. A first Rugby Championship saw a clean sweep of
wins both home and away, with South Africa and Argentina particularly being on
the end of heavy beatings.
Scotland’s summer tour in itself was a mark of significant progress
– three wins out of three including a desperately hard fought 9-6 win of
Australia in near unplayable conditions-in their dreadful 6 Nations campaign
only in terms of tries scored (Scotland made the most linebreaks of any side
but failed to turn more than 4 chances into tries), mostly thanks to the
arrival of Tim Visser thanks to a residential period pent within the country.
Scotland are still a step behind the rest of Europe on that
evidence though and must face the toughest test in world rugby without Joe
Ansbro, Chris Cusiter, Rory Lamont, Graeme Morrison, Duncan Weir, Nikki Walker
and Euan Murray. In three recent meeting the All Blacks have won by 40, 26 and
46 points, so a handicap of just 25 with Bet Victor seems generous and should be
taken with relish.
Advice
3 pts New Zealand -25 (10/11 Bet Victor)
Very nice article, thanks for the information.
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