Place your bets (responsibly, of course).
The bookies like Ireland’s chances.
Joe Schmidt’s side drew Scotland and the hosts in their pool for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and avoided dangerous second seeds South Africa, France and Wales.
Soon after the draw, two bookmakers released their updated 2019 World Cup odds. Hayley O’Connor of Ladbrokes said:
“We’ve sliced Ireland’s odds in half since the draw with their chances majorly boosted by landing in Pool A.”
Ireland are 6/1 and joint third favourites, along with Australia. New Zealand are 6/5 to retain the cup they won in 1987, 2011 and 2015. Six Nations champions England are 4/1.
Bookmaker Paddy Power, meanwhile, had Ireland at odds of just 5/1 to win the tournament immediately after the draw was made.
After the draw, we make Ireland 5/1 to win the Rugby World Cup! Betting here: https://t.co/zz0d6HigvY #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/1fw75n0ylR
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) May 10, 2017
Third favourites behind England and New Zealand? Nice.
Jamie Heaslip certainly enjoyed the draw anyway, although his former Ireland teammate Brian O’Driscoll was staving off the complacency on show from Heaslip and the Irish fans as a whole.
https://twitter.com/SteKeatinge/status/862228379621351424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsjoe.ie%2Frugby%2Frugby-world-cup-reaction-122897-122897
Ireland draw Scotland and Japan in the 2019 rugby world Cup group. Very good draw considering the nation's they avoided #RWC2019
— Padraig Moynihan (@PMoynihan1) May 10, 2017
