Betting Tips for Rugby Union's Autumn Internationals

Contributor | November 10th, 2016

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Punters spot plenty of opportunities to bet on football, tennis and horse racing, yet Rugby Union is often overlooked, even by the bookies. This fast-paced game can offer some exciting and highly rewarding odds for the savvy punter, especially for the Autumn Internationals. If you know where to look, Rugby Union betting has the potential to net you some serious cash.

Lovers of the sport will find exclusive odds and special markets to suit any eventuality with the top online bookmakers. The Autumn International Rugby Union Tournament, where nations from all over the world compete against one another for the top spot, is a great event to jump in and try your luck on the scrum. Read on for your guide to the best bets of the Autumn Internationals.

What Are the Autumn Internationals?

Sometimes known as the end-of-year internationals, the Autumn International Rugby Matches are a series of games played between Rugby Union sides from the all corners of the globe. From the Southern Hemisphere there’s Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, while the Northern Hemisphere presents Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and France.

In the 2016 Autumn Internationals, a total of 37 games will take place over the course of three weeks in November, with the various teams spread out over three tiers. All teams will compete in at least one test match, while lesser known tier two teams will compete with those in tier one. Pacific Island nations Fiji, Samoa and Tonga will join Japan, Canada and the United States in a battle for sporting glory.

What are the Best Matchups for Punters?

Of the games still to play, one that might just pique punters’ interest is the showdown between Scotland and Australia. Although on paper Australia is the stronger side, Scotland has shown they can more than hold their own against the Wallabies at home. They last beat Australia at their home ground of Murrayfield in 2009, but came bruisingly close to causing an upset during the 2015 World Cup, when Australia managed to pip the game 35-34.

Paddy Power is currently offering the same odds on both teams to win at 10/11. England are playing visitors South Africa at their home ground in Twickenham as part of the Old Mutual Wealth Series – the first of four England games to be played this year under the new sponsor banner. It was a decade ago that England last beat the Springboks.

They have played 12 matches since then and South Africa has won every time, with the exception of a draw in 2012. Paddy Power is offering odds of 10/11 for either team to win and a long shot bet of 22/1 should the game finish in a draw. Another game to keep an eye on is Wales vs Argentina, part of the 2016 Under Armour Series. The last time these two sides met at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was in 2013, when the home side racked up an impressive win of 40-6.

The name of the stadium might have changed, but the Welsh side believes it still has the power to pound the visiting Pumas into submission. William Hill is offering 8/15 for Wales to win, while South Africa draws less favourable odds of 8/5. If you’re confident in predicting a draw, harking back to the clash in Buenos Aires in 1968, then you could get odds of 18/1.

Best Bets of the Autumn Internationals

Ladbrokes is offering some tempting Autumn International promotions, specific to the home nations of Scotland, England and Ireland. The best bets focus on whether these three teams can win all of their test matches, with England favourite to do so at even odds. Scotland could be worth a bet, with odds of 7/1, while Ireland are a long shot at 12/1.

William Hill has an extensive market for Rugby Union online betting, where punters can bet on final results, whether either team will win a half, or whether the first try will be converted. It also has very specific betting options: for example, in the match between Scotland and Australia, you can bet on the winning margin within five points of the end score for either team, with Australia getting 6/1 odds for a difference of between one and five.

The home side will net you odds of 15/2 for the same score difference. If you fancy a flutter on the ruck and maul of the oval ball and wish to feast your eyes on a wide array of betting options, why not visit William Hill today? If you join now, the bookmaker will gift you a £20 free bet!