All Blacks set to crush Australia in opening Bledisloe Cup showdown

Two giants in the world of rugby union clash in Sydney this weekend when Australia hosts New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup. The All Blacks (-500) are the betting favorites to win. They have dominated this competition in recent years. Hosts Australia will be determined to beat their rivals. But it won't be easy, especially with their poor form of late. In our rugby betting picks, we tell you who will come out on top.

What: 2024 Rugby Championship/Bledisloe Cup
Who: Australia vs. New Zealand
Where: Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park, Australia
When: Saturday, September 21st
Time: 1.45 a.m ET

Australia and New Zealand meet in the first of their two Bledisloe Cup matches in Sydney on Saturday.

The second takes place in Wellington, New Zealand, the following weekend.

As holders of the Bledisloe Cup, New Zealand only need to win one of the two matches to retain the trophy. A tied series sees the holders keep the cup.

The All Blacks have been holders of the cup since 2003. And given Australia's poor form this season, it seems highly unlikely it will change hands this year.

The Bledisloe Cup is a competition within a competition. The bigger picture is that Australia and New Zealand are currently taking part in the Rugby Championship, alongside South Africa and Argentina.

But Australia and New Zealand have played rugby against each other since 1932. Their rivalry is intense. And it goes back way beyond the inauguration of the Rugby Championship.

The trade-off is that the Bledisloe Cup is played within the Rugby Championship.

Doing it this way avoids having to play a separate series outside of the championship, reducing the players' workload in what is already a physically demanding enough sport.

Australia vs. New Zealand Match Betting

In the betting to win the first match between the Wallabies and the All Blacks, the visitors find themselves the overwhelming favorites to win.

On the money line, New Zealand is -500 to defeat their out-of-form hosts. Australia is +350 to pull off what would be a shock win.

On the handicap spread, the Wallabies are receiving a 12.5-point start. To win with the spread, Australia is -110. To win and cover the 12.5-point spread, New Zealand is -110.

More Wallabies vs. All Blacks betting options are on our odds table. We have gathered our odds from the best rugby betting online sites for the 2024 Rugby Championship.

Teams
Australia	+350	+350	+350
New Zeland	-500	-500	-500

Australia (+12.5)	-110	-110	-110
New Zealand (-12.5)	-110	-110	-110

Betting to win the 2024 Rugby Championship

It's not just Australia who have been in poor form in the 2024 Rugby Championship, the All Blacks have struggled too.

Back-to-back away defeats to South Africa, along with a shock 38-30 home loss to Argentina means the All Blacks have lost three of their four 2024 Rugby Championship matches.

As a result, the All Blacks are out of the running to win the 2024 title. Only South Africa and Argentina can win the championship mathematically.

But the reality is, South Africa will win the competition. In the betting to win the 2024 Rugby Championship, the latest rugby betting odds have the Proteas at -20000, and Argentina at +2000.

The Pumas have two matches remaining. They are both against South Africa, the first at home, the second away in South Africa.

It's in their hands. But the chances of Argentina beating the world champions home and away are very remote. To put their chances into perspective, Argentina are +300 to win their home match, with the Proteas at -300.

The odds are going to be even more stacked in favor of South Africa for the reverse fixture in Mbombela the following weekend.

Australia vs. New Zealand: Latest form

Australia and New Zealand have both lost three of their four matches in the 2024 Rugby Championship.

Both are coming under fire from their home media, especially the All Blacks, given they are historically the strongest rugby-playing nation in the world (along with South Africa, these days).

But even with the All Blacks coming under fire, they still look in a far better place than the Wallabies. Australia has lost 33-7 and 30-12 in their two matches against South Africa. And both were at home.

Against Argentina, the Wallabies won the first match 20-19. They were then crushed 67-27 in the second match - a record defeat against the Pumas. Both those fixtures were away.

Argentina crush Australia 67-27 with nine tries in historic win

Read more 👇https://t.co/rSczmr8xnV

— insidethegames (@insidethegames) September 8, 2024

New Zealand played Argentina twice at home. They lost their opening match 38-30. But they followed that up with a 42-10 win in the second.

The All Blacks two matches against South Africa were both away. They lost the first game 31-27, and the second one 18-12. They were both one-score defeats away from home at the world champions. It can happen.

Australia vs. New Zealand betting picks

Of the two nations, Australia looks in far worse shape. The Wallabies may have a performance in them somewhere. And they know how to raise their game for their main rivals.

But there is no justification for betting on the Wallabies to win in their current form.

The only issue up for debate is the spread. We feel that if the All Blacks can get within a score of South Africa twice on the road, they can beat Australia by at least two scores.

New Zealand to win and cover the spread is our pick.

New Zealand To beat Australia and cover the spread

-110

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