New Zealand vs Namibia Betting Tips: Predictions as All Blacks response expected

New Zealand suffered the inogoumy of losing their first ever Rugby World Cup Group game last Friday as the tournament kicked off and host nation France proved too strong in Paris. Now facing a much more simple task, they will undoubtedly make light work of Namibia in match week 2. Betting value can be hard to find in games like this but Billy Grimshaw thinks the odds compilers have slightly underestimated how fired up the All Blacks after their embarrassment last week. Points difference could still prove key in Pool A so our man has two recommended bets...

It will probably never happen again that the mighty New Zealand score a try within two minutes of kick-off, do the same in the second half and still lose comfortably. After that dominant display from France, the All Blacks are licking their wounds and nothing will make them happier than absolutely destroying the next opposition in their path. Enter the Namibians.

One of the longest odds outsiders for the World Cup, the world number 21 have improved a lot in recent years and shouldn't disgrace themselves, however this is the All Blacks we are talking about. They are not willing to be written off from the World Cup that they are synonymous with just yet and despite rotation I expect a fierce response.

I;m a big fan of Damian McKenzie who will get his World Cup chance at fly half for the All Blacks and I'd expect him to really have a field day against a game but limited Namibian team. Last week against Italy Namibia were blown away when the Italians put their foot down on the throttle and comparing Italy's attack with the All Blacks is like comparing a korma to a vindaloo. It could be a bloodbath in Toulouse especially if, as in their World Cup opener, the Namibians notably tire after coming out of the traps too strong.

New Zealand may not be a vintage All Black side in 2023 but they are still one of the best in world rugby and a marked step up from the team Namibia were dismantled by last week. The underdogs are improving and their forward pack in particular love a physical battle, but their organisation in defence and fitness still leaves much to be desired. With wingers as try hungry as Caleb Clarke and Leicester Fainga'anuku (yes I did have to spell check that one multiple times) the game will be a no contest but for the main bet we are banking on the All Blacks being keen to give the crowd a real show. The weather in Toulouse looks perfect for some enterprising rugby and once New Zealand get a real foothold in the game expect them to pile on the points.

In all honesty it would be a shock were Namibia able to get through the All Blacks defence apart from perhaps an early penalty goal or two. New Zealand have scored the most points in a single RWC game (145–17 against Japan in 1995) and Namibia were on the end of the widest margin pounding in World Cup history when going down 142-0 to Australia in 2003. I don't think those records are in any danger of falling in this game but there is scope for a wide margin win and I'd fancy New Zealand to win by at least 70 points.

There is potential for any number of anytime try scorer bet builders or alternative handicap punts in here but I've decided to stick with this -71 as the main bet and have a couple more selections below.

I will bunch the second and third bets together but do think the second half to be the highest scoring looks massive value at 4/5 with Paddy Power and Betfair at the time of writing. New Zealand will have the game won by half time and there is the danger that they start fast, kill the game off and then take their foot off the pedal. However, even if they make copious substitutions there is still bundles of quality in the All Blacks ranks and judging on how poorly Namibia folded against Italy in the final stages. Simply put the Namibians do not have the stamina to go 80 minutes against the elite sides in world rugby and although they are a big physical bunch who can hold their own when games begin, the gas tanks will run out.

Other firms have this market more one-sided and I think they have called it right while Paddy/Betfair are seemingly more in the camp that the All Blacks will blitz away. Italy scored five of their seven tries in the second stanza and I'd imagine the All Blacks will score a lot more points in both halves, but the ratio should stay similar. At 4/5 I'm having a chunky bet on this one and would probably make both shorter priced plays equally strong.

To wrap things up I will loop back to the opening paragraph and back Damian McKenzie to scoop the man of the match gong at 5/1. There is of course danger aplenty in the fact any number of New Zealanders could score a hat-trick or more, but if the tries are relatively evenly spread or even if McKenzie bags one himself, I think he has all the skill to be the star of the show here and give his coach something to think about for the knock-out rounds which the ABs will inevitably qualify for.