Rugby Union

The 2022 Rugby Championship is the tenth edition of the annual southern hemisphere comp that sees teams from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa all compete 

Rugby Union is a code of football – not to be mistaken with Rugby League – that originated in England. It is now played right around the world including in Australia with over 18,600 Rugby Union clubs recognised globally.

First played in 1871 and professionalised since 1995, Rugby is a full contact team sport hugely popular with footy fans and the major competition played in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa is the Super Rugby.

Rugby Union – under the Rugby Sevens banner – was also included in the 2016 Olympic Games.

In Australia rival footy codes including the NRL and AFL dominate the sports betting arena, but there is a steadily growing market for Rugby Union betting fuelled by tournaments including the Rugby World Cup.

The biggest international Rugby Union competitions currently involving Australia are The Rugby Championship and Super Rugby. 

Rugby Union Odds

Major International Rugby Union Competitions

Like most football codes Rugby Union is mainly played throughout the winter months. While there are a number of domestic competitions of the sport, it is dominated by International Rugby Union events.

The major International Rugby Union Competition is the Rugby World Cup. Key Regional Rugby Union Tournaments include the: Six Nations Championship (Europe) and The Rugby Championship (Southern Hemisphere).

Super Rugby

The Super Rugby is one of the top professional International Rugby Union tournaments and it was founded in 1995 before an inaugural season in 1996. There were 15 teams in the Southern Hemisphere-based Rugby competition from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa up until 2020.

From 2020, the tournament underwent major changes due to COVID-19 and took place as two competitions with five New Zealand Super Rugby teams competing in Super Rugby Aotearoa and the five Australian franchises facing off in Super Rugby Australia.

Overall, the New Zealand clubs have a dominant record with the most Super Rugby titles of any nation.

Rugby World Cup

The Rugby World Cup is a huge event for Rugby Union betting, the quadrennial tournament contested every four years since 1987. There are 20 Rugby World Cup teams and two nations boast the equal record of three titles: New Zealand whose most recent Rugby World Cup win was in 2015 and South Africa who won their third title in 2019. The Rugby World Cup champions take out the William Webb Ellis Cup.

The next Rugby World Cup takes place in France from September 8 – October 21, 2023. 

Professional Rugby Union Competitions

*Table Credit: Wiki

Rugby Union Betting

Below we have a look at some of the most popular Rugby Union betting markets available for Super Rugby matches and major tournaments like the Rugby World Cup.

Rugby Union Head-to-Head Betting

Available for the majority of sports betting codes, head-to-head odds are those offered against two teams facing off in a game. Prices are offered for each Rugby Union team to win with the shorter-priced of the two known as the favourites. Head-to-head Rugby Union betting is determined by statistics like the team’s seasonal performance, record at the venue and past results against the club they are playing.

Rugby Union Line Betting

Usually on offer alongside the standard head-to-head Win odds in the Rugby Union betting markets, line betting is open on all matches including across the fully Super Rugby season. The winning spread of points is known as the “line” and the club must either win or lose by that number for the bet to pay out. For example, if the Crusaders are at -6.5 @ $1.80 they would have to go down by less than 6.5 points for you to win.

Half-Time/Full Time Rugby Union Betting

This Rugby Union bet type allows you to back a number of different results in a set match. For example, odds are listed for a team to lead at half time and full time, lead at half time then lose or lead at half time then draw with the opposition at full time. Obviously a draw / draw result is the longest priced in this market.

Rugby Union Scoring Markets

There are a number of Rugby Union betting markets that relate to the scoring during the game. For example you can back the First Team To Score A Try and take advantage of Race to 10 Points markets with Rugby odds on each club to post ten points first.