The bookies fancy Ireland’s World Cup draw just as much as the rest of us

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. https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/862227493427851264 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 https://twitter.com/PMoynihan1/status/862224100072321024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsjoe.ie%2Frugby%2Frugby-world-cup-reaction-122897-122897