New Zealand vs Ireland Prediction & Betting Tips - Rugby World Cup

Prediction published on 13/10/2019, 11:35  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 13/10/2019 at 12:55 in Rugby World Cup Prediction

New Zealand are just three games away from a record-breaking third consecutive Rugby World Cup win. They take on Ireland who finished second in Pool A surprisingly finishing behind Japan. The All-Blacks have won all of their games so far and been in dominant form whatever line-up they put out. They scored 157 points in their three pool matches (the game against Italy was cancelled) and only conceded 22. 13 of those came in the opening win over South Africa, since then victories over Canada and Namibia were achieved by an aggregate total of 134-9. The fact the game against Italy wasn't played means the squad will have had 13 days to get over their last fixture. It gets a lot tougher from now on though and the All-Blacks face an Irish side that they have beaten 28 times in 31 meetings.

Only twice have the Irish beaten them and it took them 111 years to get that first win three years ago in a game played in the USA. However, Ireland go into this game having won two of the previous three meetings. The most recent match was a 16-9 home win for Ireland last November. Ireland have never reached the semi-finals of this competition losing in the last eight in both of the last two finals. They finished second in their pool behind Japan, who beat them 19-12. They had comfortable wins over Scotland, Samoa and Russia but this is the ultimate test for them. New Zealand look to be in the best form of the two countries and they can be backed to win this game, leading at both half time and full time.