New Zealand Favourite For World Cup

New Zealand 1987, Australia 1991, South Africa 1995, Australia 1999, England 2003 and South Africa 2007... In 7 weeks’ time the winner of the 2011 Rugby World Cup will be known and another great name added to this roster of champions! Unibet have a massive offer running to celebrate the event kicking off, if England win the World Cup then Unibet will refund all losing pre-tournament outright bets!

Hosts New Zealand are huge favourites at 1.55 as they look to win the title for the second time. They have a tricky match up with France who knocked them out of the 2007 World Cup with a 20-18 victory but Tonga 250.00, Canada 500.00 and Japan 500.00 should be whipping boys for the mighty All Blacks. France are 18.00 to win the World Cup for the first time.

In Pool B, England are looking to go one better than in 2007 when they reached the final but were crushed 15-6 by South Africa in the final.

The 2003 champions are 14.00 to win for the second time and are the only country from the Northern Hemisphere to ever win a Rugby World Cup.

Pool B also contains Argentina who came third in 2007 at odds of 150.00, Georgia 500.00, Romania 500.00 and old enemies Scotland 250.00 who England last beat 22-16 when they met back in March earlier this year.

Second favourites Australia at odds 4.50 will look to head Group C and go better than  in 2007 when they were beaten 12-10 by England in the Quarter Finals. The two time winners will face Ireland 40.00, Italy 300.00, Russia 500.00 and USA 300.00 in a Pool that they are 1.15 to win.

Pool D sees two time winners and defending champions South Africa looking to repeat their success from 4 years ago.

At odds of 9.00 they are not quite to the strength of recent Springbok teams, but should qualify easily with Wales 70.00, Samoa 150.00, Fiji 300.00 and Namibia 500.00 their opposition.

"The bets have been increasing over the last few weeks as kick off looms and hype increases! There has been a steady pattern emerging and that is New Zealand, Australia and France are the teams that all our customers want to be on!" says Erik Backlund Head of Unibet’s Sportsbook.

"Any of these teams winning would be bad enough but if England win that it would be even worse for us as we would pay out on England as winners and then refund all losing pre-tournament outright bets on all countries!

"At the moment we will be cheering on South Africa who are two time champions but quite strangely have attracted very little interest from our customers!"