South Africa vs Ireland Betting Tips: Predictions for Pool B blockbuster

As much flak as World Rugby has taken for the farcically early draw for this Rugby World Cup, one thing that is a positive from the lopsided draws is we get to see giants collide nice and early in the tournament. Apart from the kick off of match day 1 when France hosted and defeated the All Blacks, this is undoubtedly the match of the World Cup so far and would be a worthy final. Ireland are ranked first in the world, South Africa are ranked second. Whichever side wins here will get the ranking number one slot and the loser will drop to third after France's strong RWC start.

This match is being billed as brawn vs brains as the huge pack of the Boks take on a Johnny Sexton inspired Ireland side, and Billy Grimshaw is keen to side with size...

This really should be an enthralling clash of styles between the elite team of both hemispheres in World Rugby right now. Defending champions South Africa bring the same thing to every World Cup, and indeed to every match in which they play, which is a formidable pack and a gameplan to simply bully their opposition into submission. The plan has largely been successful of late and although the evidence suggest the All Blacks team they battered prior to this tournament kicking off is not a vintage one, that win at Twickenham was still quite a marker to lay down.

The Springboks have made their intentions clear for this match with the world's best team (according to the rankings) with the naming of seven forwards on the bench. The plan will be to batter and bruise Ireland in the first forty minutes with a gargantuan set of brute forwards. before at half time switching them and then recommencing the onslaught. Ireland are no shrinking violets and have a pack that is a match for nearly all in World Rugby. Note that I stated nearly all there. 

Andy Farrell has proven himself to be one of the finest minds in rugby union since transitioning from rugby league in his playing days and he is coaching the best Irish team possibly of all time, but I worry that South Africa will just have too much for them at the breakdown and at set pieces. This game is not a must win for either side but for the neutral, a South African win would probably be more exciting building into the crunch match later in the Pool Stages when Ireland and Scotland collide to see who will join the Springboks in the knockouts.

Despite a partisan Irish supporter heading to France, with the number in green rumoured to be over 30,000 in Paris, South Africa are an experienced outfit and however much the atmosphere is against the Springboks they won't care one jot. Ireland have become synonymous lately with a structured but enterprising game, with their inside backs following up every play in the hope of quick rucks and space in the centre of the park to steal yardage. This works against most but I think South Africa may be the kryptonite.

The Springboks look set to deploy a smothering defence and I am not sure there is anyone in World Rugby that can make their way around them when on song. The Springboks also have the famous bomb squad ready to launch from the bench that will mean Ireland are permanently facing hungry and huge defenders that will not give their creators a moment's peace. Discipline will be crucial for both teams as the match is so tightly poised neither can afford to lose a man.

South Africa had a dilemma in terms of which full back to select but coach Jacques Nienaber has called it right in my opinion by going with Damian Willemse. He has far more running threat than Wille le Roux, as great a player as he is, and with Ireland surely reliant heavily on plenty of kicking for territory to avoid too much mauling with the big South African back, good kick returns will be crucial for Springbok success.

de Klerk and Sexton are both elite goalkickers so there is nothing to choose between the sides there but I am going to side with the size of the Springboks to get the win in what is sure to be a tight contest. A loss for either side does not mean they cannot bounce back and win the tournament, but for the victor the morale boost with a win here will be colossal. 

Some would say in a tournament in which so far every team that has been winning at half time has gone on to record the victory, backing in the HT/FT market and going for a switch is terrible tipping. Others, myself included for example, would say that record has to fall sometime or another and in this matchup here is plenty to suggest there is value in backing the Springboks to start slow but finish strong at massive odds of 7/1.

As previously discussed the South African game plan is to totally dominate Ireland in the forwards, but as much as I have outlined this as the key reason I believe they will win the game, it will be nothing like an easy ride. Ireland have a brilliant pack and Andy Farrell will have devised a cunning plan to keep the Springboks moving around the park to hopefully tire out the big men of South Africa. There is a blueprint to beat South Africa, albeit not a recent one, and that is to start like a house on fire and build up a lead which you then defend when the bomb squad are thrust onto the field.

I can see Farrell hammering home the importance of a rapid early period to his troops and perhaps Ireland bagging the first few scores, be they penalties or even tries. The trouble is, South Africa are relentless. Unless Ireland have got out to an unassailable lead by half time, I think the Springboks will win the second half of the game and the match itself. The 7/1 on offer from Betfred is certainly juicy enough to tempt me in, while I also had a look at the Draw/SA odds here but decided to simply go for the one tip in this market.