Tensions will rise at the Stade de France on Saturday evening. The 2023 Rugby World Cup Final features the two most successful nations in the competition’s history against each other. We delve into our predictions for the New Zealand vs South Africa match.
New Zealand vs South Africa Betting Tips
- South Africa to Lift the Trophy at 2.30 Betway
- New Zealand 1st Half Handicap -1.5 at 1.95 Betway
- No Yellow Card in the Match at 3.00 Betway
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Springboks to Maintain Flawless Final Record
This is the final the world anticipated. Most New Zealand vs South Africa predictions centre on an outstanding match, and for a good reason. These are the two most successful nations in the history of the tournament.
Their legacy in this competition spans decades. South Africa have been in three Rugby World Cup Finals and won all three. New Zealand have played in four and won three. Their sole defeat came back in 1995 when they faced the Springboks in Johannesburg.
While not the top pick among betting sites, South Africa seem well-positioned to claim the trophy. They have a habit of getting the job done when they need to, as evident in both of their knockout matches so far.
Discipline is key in finals and South Africa exemplifies this. They’ve conceded fewer penalties, cards and turnovers than the All Blacks in this tournament. Expect this to make the difference.
New Zealand vs South Africa Bet 1: South Africa to Lift the Trophy at 2.30 Betway
Springboks’ Strength is on the Bench
The South African team extends beyond their initial 15 players. They make replacements more frequently and a bit earlier than most other teams.
Handre Pollard, RG Snyman, Faf de Klerk and Kwagga Smith have all been brought in before the 51-minute mark in both knockout games so far.
It helped tip both matches in South Africa’s favour. That level of power and match management off the bench is vital.
The flip side of that is that they often start a little slower, which is where we explore our New Zealand vs South Africa tips.
They have secured single-point victories in both of their knockout matches so far. In both, we saw the Springboks struggle before the break, only taking the lead in the match against England in the 78th minute.
Expect New Zealand to fly out of the traps and win the handicap battle in the 1st half. For this bet to win, the All Blacks need to be ahead by two or more points at halftime.
New Zealand vs South Africa Bet 2: New Zealand 1st Half Handicap -1.5 at 1.95 Betway
Cool Heads in Green
We’ve already mentioned South Africa’s discipline, but the numbers speak for themselves.
At the 2023 World Cup, South Africa received a grand total of one card, which was during the quarter-final clash with France.
They’ve conceded an average of eight penalties per match compared to an average of 9.1 for the All Blacks. Remarkably, this is even though they’ve made seven fewer tackles than New Zealand over the course of the tournament.
New Zealand have notched up a few cards in this tournament already. Originally, the prediction was for New Zealand to pick up the first card in the match. However, if you look back at the past Rugby World Cup Finals, you’ll see how rare the bookings are.
Over the past nine Rugby World Cup Finals, only one yellow card has ever been shown. In 2015, New Zealand’s full back Ben Smith was the unlucky one to receive the card.
The value here is in backing referee Wayne Barnes to keep his cards in his pocket for this one. Betway’s odds of 3.00 offer real value for this bet, considering it would have won in eight of the last nine Rugby World Cup Finals.
New Zealand vs South Africa Bet 3: No Yellow Card in the Match at 3.00 Betway
New Zealand vs South Africa Odds
Odds correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
- New Zealand to Win at 1.76 Betway
- South Africa to Win at 2.30 Betway
