Rugby World Cup Odds: Who Will Be The 2023 Tournament’s Top Try-Scorer?
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With the pool stages of the Rugby World Cup continuing to gather pace, rugby betting sites are once again examining the possible contenders for overall top try-scorer at the global tournament.
Following the conclusion of the opening weekend of the RWC, there were no fewer than seven players tied at the top of the individual charts with two tries apiece.
Of this cohort, four of them were from Ireland with Bundee Aki, Jonathan Sexton, Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Beirne all grabbing a brace in their convincing 82-8 defeat of Romania in Bordeaux in a Pool B fixture on September 9.
Ireland’s Bundee Aki Leading Try-Scorer At World Cup
While Aki matched this personal haul as the Green Army had 43 points to spare (59-16) against Tonga in Nantes on the weekend just gone, Sexton and Beirne also crossed the whitewash to leave them just behind their bustling team-mate in the try-scoring charts.
This is a particular hot streak for Sexton, who had only registered a single five-pointer in his previous 21 international appearances and has just returned from a long lay-off brought about by both injury and suspension.
However, the Dubliner and his colleague Beirne are joined on three tries for the tournament by the South African duo of Cobus Reinach and Makazole Mapimpi – both of whom recorded hat-tricks for the Springboks in their 76-0 demolition of Romania last Sunday.
Reinach’s haul was particularly impressive as it took him just 23 minutes to accumulate three tries.
Because there are four pools with five teams each at the Rugby World Cup – and the coaches of many sides like to rotate their packs in the early stages of the tournament – it is difficult to gauge who might emerge as the top try-scorer by the end of October.
Yet that hasn’t prevented bookmakers from offering their considered takes on who might claim this personal accolade over the next few weeks.
Telea Still The Favourite To Be Top Finisher In France
After scoring a brace in their 27-13 reversal to France on the opening night of the tournament (including the fastest-ever try in a RWC opening match at just 91 seconds), Mark Telea was rested for New Zealand’s showdown with Namibia last Friday.
Even though the All Blacks claimed a facile 71-3 triumph, it is highly likely that he will be recalled to their starting line-up for what promises to be a much tougher challenge from Italy in Lyon on September 29.
Currently on five tries from just six international test appearances, Telea is the bookies’ favourite for top try-scorer at the World Cup with some of them offering odds as low as 7.0 on him being the deadliest marksman in the tournament, but a top price of 8.0 is available on him.
Aki And Penaud In Contention For Top Individual Haul
Telea hails from Auckland and it is another native of the New Zealand city that is just behind him in the betting stakes for top try-scorer.
The aforementioned Aki appears to be in the form of his life for adopted nation Ireland and despite Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose having developed a potent centre partnership in recent years at provincial and international level, it will be very difficult for head coach Andy Farrell to leave him out of his first 15.
He is available with four betting firms - at 9.0 to be the tournament’s top-try scorer, though slightly longer odds of 11.0 are available.
In a similar vein to Telea, France’s Damian Penaud was rested for France’s encounter with Uruguay last week.
He is expected to be back in the frame for their duel with Namibia in Marseille on Thursday and with Pool A’s basement side having conceded 18 tries in just two games to date at the RWC, the newly-recruited Bordeaux star could make hay.
His try in the World Cup opener against New Zealand was his 30th in just 45 appearances for the All Blacks and it will be a big surprise if he doesn’t add to his tally in the remaining weeks of the tournament.
Though some are offering odds of 7.0 on him being the top try-scorer, the most common value on him is 10.0 – which can be found with Ladbrokes.
Mapimpi And Rees-Zammit Also Featuring Highly
Bet365 have Makazole Mapimpi at 13.0 to be the main try-scorer in the tournament.
Other firms are of a similar mind when it comes to the Springboks back, but in spite of his hat-trick exploits against Namibia, his place in the starting line-up for Saturday’s showdown with Ireland in Saint-Denis is far from certain.
One of the few players to start both of Wales’ wins to date in the tournament against Fiji and Portugal, Louis Rees-Zammit grabbed a try apiece in these contests.
He is expected to keep his place in the Welsh back-three barring injury and is available at odds of 17.0, with 15.0 being the most common value on the Gloucester star.
Just behind Rees-Zammit in the try-scoring betting at the moment are Mark Nawaqanitawase (Australia) and Will Jordan (New Zealand), who are both available at 17.0.
Reinach And Sexton Viewed As Outsiders For Top Try-Scorer
Despite being a single try adrift of Aki in the charts at the moment, Reinach and Sexton are seen as outside bets to trump all challengers and become the World Cup’s top try-scorer.
Reinach (another in the South African ranks who is not guaranteed to be handed a start against Ireland) is currently 21.0 with exchange betting sites.
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