New Zealand v Ireland Rugby Union Betting Tips 09/07/2022

New Zealand v Ireland rugby

New Zealand face Ireland in the second test on Saturday. The All Blacks cruised to victory last time out to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Ireland struggled to match New Zealand in the one-sided affair and Andy Farrell’s side remain in poor form. As a result, Ireland must turn things around in the second test to avoid a punishing defeat. This match kicks off at 8:05 a.m in Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin. The game will be shown live on Sky Sports. 

Team News and Form 

New Zealand were in complete control during the first test as they beat Ireland 42-19. Ireland were 28-5 down at half time. Despite their attempts at a second-half comeback, they could not put enough pressure on the All Blacks. The result extended New Zealand’s sensational winning run at home, while Ireland remain winless in the country in their last seven matches. 

Looking at the team news, New Zealanders Sam Whitelock, Tupou Vaa’I and Josh Lord are unavailable through injury. For Ireland, Finlay Bealham is out due to illness and Jeremy Loughman is out with a concussion. Rob Herring is also likely to miss out again as he returns to training on Monday. 

Matchwinner odds

Considering the recent form of New Zealand and Ireland, there is one clear favourite in the pre-match markets. Ireland struggled to bounce back from their 32-17 defeat against the Maori All Blacks in their opening match of the New Zealand tour. They are now winless in their last two, and they have won once in their last four away. Due to this, Sky Bet are providing 11/2 odds for an Ireland win. Given the Irish woes and the All Black’s strength, we are backing another home win this weekend. New Zealand has won their last eight matches at home, and they have beat Ireland in their last seven on home soil. As a result, our tip is to pick SBK’s 1/5 odds for another All Black’s win.

Winning Margin Bets

Because there is little value in a New Zealand outright victory, looking into the alternative betting markets could be a solid option. Generally, the All Blacks are dominant at home, and they have scored 30 or more points in seven of their last eight matches. They have also won by 20 or more points in six of their last eight home matches. In addition, Ireland has lost by 15 or more points in their last two matches. As a result, we are tipping the All Blacks to win by 11-15 points, with William Hill offering the best odds at 11/2.

Highest Scoring Half

Also, another alternative market is picking the highest scoring half. In their last two matches, Ireland has started slowly and conceded 28 or more points in the opening 40 minutes. Furthermore, New Zealand often makes a fast start when playing at home. The All Blacks have seen higher scoring first halves, compared to the second period. Also, in three of their last four home matches, the Kiwis have scored 20 or more points in the first half. Due to this, we are backing a higher-scoring first half in the New Zealand vs Ireland match. Bet365 is offering the best odds of 11/10 here. 

Ireland remains up against it in New Zealand, and they need to produce a miraculous turn of form to become more competitive in the second test. Another defeat would end their chances of a comeback. Although we always look to offer good value odds and prices from bookmakers, please remember that we do not promote guaranteed winners or bets. For more information on good value odds and current free bets offered by bookmakers, please check out our homepage. Always remember to gamble responsibly and to enjoy the bets you choose to place.