There are certain characteristics that make a sport truly great: professional teams, loyal fans and brilliant betting options. One such sport that has all of these features is Rugby, be it Union or League. The teams are outstanding, the fans are devoted and the betting options are sure to please even the pickiest of gamblers. If you are new to Rugby this should explain a bit more clearly what makes it so great.
History Of Rugby
Although Winchester College football had already been introduced to South Africa some years earlier William Henry Milton did not bring Rugby over until 1878. Ex-England international, Milton converted Cape Town to a more recognisable Rugby format within the year. It was Rugby Union that colonists first exported to South Africa and in the years that followed a number of teams were formed across Western Cape, Griqualand, Transvaal- and the Eastern province. Not long after, in 1889 the South African Rugby Board was founded in Kimberley.
In 1891 the first tour of the British Isles by a South African team occurred with the squad made up of players from various independent republics and British colonies across South Africa. The years that followed involved some of the darkest times for South African Rugby. Towards the end of the 19th Century the Boer War had begun which saw prisoners of war playing rugby in British camps, after this from 1948 the Apartheid led to South Africa’s exclusion from international Rugby events. The Springboks returned to international Rugby in 1992 and the unified South African Rugby Football Union was formed. It is predicted that in South Africa there are currently over 400,000 registered Rugby players of various genders and age.
Rugby League And Union Betting Differences
Although Rugby Union and League have a lot of similarities there are also differences that should be kept in mind when it comes to placing bets. The most important thing to remember is the difference in points throughout the game whereas Rugby Union awards 5 points for a try and 2 for a conversion in Rugby League these goals reward only 4 and 1 points. This will affect Handicap bets as less points means lower possible handicaps with Rugby League handicaps as low as 2 points.
Other differences to keep in mind when betting on these sports include the popularity of each sport when researching odds, the number of top-flight teams in a league of competition and differences in play between the two. This might involve looking at aggressive, forward reaching teams in Rugby Union and more territorial League sides with a good kicker.
Biggest Events And Tournaments
Arguably the greatest odds will be found in the biggest games, it is important to keep an eye on upcoming events to make the most of your new-found Rugby betting knowledge.
Rugby Union events to watch out for include:
- Currie Cup – played every Winter and Spring since 1891.
- Rugby Challenge – normally April – June during Super Rugby.
- Gold Cup – previously SARU Community Cup played each summer.
- Rugby World Cup – played every 4 years, current champions being South Africa.
Rugby League events you can bet on are:
- Rugby League World Cup – held between October and November.
- Rugby league 4 Nations – since 2009 Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand +1 other team.
Types Of Bets To Place On Rugby
There is a huge range of bets to place on both Rugby League and Union games and competitions which is what makes this sport so exciting. Match betting is the most popular form and easiest to understand as choosing which team will win a match can be both enjoyable and rewarding, however it may not return the greatest odds. Handicap betting is great if you are confident about one teams victory, this will provide a hypothetical advantage to one team of which the other must surpass for the bet to come out. Over/Under bets are based on if a category of the game will be over or under a specific number, an example could be over 15.5 points for one team in the game.
Bets are also available on entire season or tournaments allowing you to back your team in upcoming competitions, player bets can allow in-the-know gamblers to wager on players performance in a game such as trys, points, fouls etc.
Where To Bet
All of these bets and more are available from our top class affiliate sites, our sports betting page includes all of these sites along with reviews and information on their sign-up offers helping you to make the right choice when it come to Rugby betting.
