The 2016 Rugby League Four Nations kicks off this weekend with England hosting Australia, New Zealand and Scotland. We look at the tournament winner market and a couple of key games with our 2016 Four Nations Preview and Betting Tips.
2016 Four Nations Tournament Winner Tip
The obvious choice here is Australia. They are at the odds of $1.53 which isn’t bad considering the dominant side they have to put on the park. They have defeated the Kiwis three times in their last four meetings and are the clear favourites out of the four sides (really three as Scotland aren’t a contender).
England have the home field advantage, have a strong forward pack and have a supercoach in Wayne Bennett ordering the side. They are a dark horse but they are always a chance of causing an upset.
However, we are predicting the New Zealand side to be the value pick. They always put together their best performances in tournaments and are the defending four nations champions. They may have been dominanted in their last two meetings against the Australians this year but once the side has a bit of time in camp they put on a better showing. They have a huge forward pack and have the capabilities of being dangerous in attack.
TIP: New Zealand to win - $4.00 at CrownBet
Australia vs Scotland (Saturday, October 29 at 6am AEST)
This will be the first time these two sides face off in international rugby league and the result is beyond doubt but the only determinant will be by how much. Scotland has NRL and 2015 premiership winners Kane Linnet and Lachlan Coote in their side to add a lot of experience and talent but it won’t be enough to come close to deterring the Kangaroos.
The Australians will field a weaker side than they did against New Zealand two weeks ago but they don’t lose much talent due to their level of depth. The Australians will use this match to lift their confidence and we are predicting them to get out to an early lead and continue to pile on the points throughout the match as their talent level is far too high. The Scots will try to make it respectable but it is inevitable that the Green and Gold reach half a century – at least.
TIP: Australia at the line (-44.5) @ $1.90 at Sportsbet
England vs New Zealand (Sunday, October 30 at 12.30am AEST)
England are the hosts of the tournament and will head into the Four Nations tournament with a strong squad. Sam Burgess has been named as the captain and he will be keen for a big tournament considering he has had a long break since the Rabbitohs missed the finals and he is also coming off a disappointing year himself. James Graham is a huge player up front while Josh Hodgson will steer the team around the park from the hooker position. They lack in the outside backs and this could be where their opponents get an advantage as they will barge through the middle but could struggle to score points.
The Kiwis are the number one ranked team in the world despite the fact they have lost their last two international matches. They struggled against the Australians in both of those matches but as mentioned earlier in this article they put their best performances together when they play in big tournaments. They have a forward pack that can match it with the Englishmen and we are predicting a huge match out of Jason Tuamalolo after he was quiet against the Aussies in Perth. On the back of that go-forward, Shaun Johnson will be able to play at his best as he is most successful when the opposition are on the back foot. We are predicting a tight contest but ultimately the New Zealanders will earn a slight victory.
TIP: New Zealand 1-12 points - $2.90 at Sportsbet
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
