
Georgia vs Portugal Betting Tips: Two predictions for Rugby World Cup match

Georgia and Portugal will clash in Saturday's first Rugby World Cup match and two of the minnows of the tournament will be eager to get their first victory on the board in France, as they have both suffered defeats in their opening games of the tournament. In a fascinating group that will likely see Wales, Australia and Fiji fight it out for a top-two spot, both Georgia and Portugal will head into this encounter in high spirits, as they will feel they can both claim victory.
Our man Steve Chambers has been handed the task of trying to find a couple of bets for the game, so check out his two predictions for the game in Toulouse...
Georgia vs Portugal Tips
Georgia kicked off their Rugby World Cup with a battling 35-15 defeat to Australia in the first round of matches and they showed terrific fight that day only losing the second half 14-12, so it's no surprise to see them installed as the red-hot 1/7 favourites to claim the win over a Portugal side that were beaten 28-8 by Wales last week. Portugal, who are as big as 6/1 to claim the win here, put up a good account of themselves against Wales, but they suffered a big defeat at the hands of Georgia in the 2023 Rugby Europe Championship final back in March, so it's going to be a tough ask.
Georgia ran out impressive 38-11 winners that day, so they are entitled to be hot favourites to deliver the goods once again, and while there's no value in the win market it could be siding with the Georgians in the handicap market. They bagged a World Cup win in 2019 against Uruguay and they can get on the board once again with a comfortable win over a Portugal side that may struggle with the physicality of the Georgian side and Betfred's 11/8 for Georgia -19 on the handicap looks a decent bet.
Both nations continue to improve on the world rugby stage, but Georgia may just have that little extra bit of quality within their ranks and they could pull away in the second half to notch up their first success at this pulsating Rugby World Cup in France.
It's wise to stay in the handicap markets for the second tip of this match and you have to venture into the second half handicap markets for what looks an eye-catching bet. Snap up the 10/11 about Georgia -8 on the second half handicap, as they showed during that Australia game that they are capable of playing to a decent level for all 80 minutes (lost second half 14-12), while the aforementioned Rugby Europe Championship saw Georgia pull away after the break.
Georgia led 12-11 going into half time of that final, but kept the door well and truly shut in the second half and Portugal were unable to score a single point as Georgia racked up 26, so it could be a similar story in Toulouse on Saturday afternoon. Portugal will be eager to try and grab the lead in the early stages of the match, as they look to claim a first win of the tournament, but Georgia just seem a side capable of more across the whole game and you could argue the -8 on Georgia in the second half handicap market is the bet of a clash that may not get many pulses rating, but will be a huge encounter for both nations.

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