Springboks vs. Wallabies Predictions - Rugby Championship Week 1 2025

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We have South Africa vs. Australia predictions for the opening game of the Rugby Championship on Sunday August 17 at 1:10am.

It’s an early morning game for rugby punters, where South Africa is the firm $1.03 favourite to win.

South Africa vs. Australia Predictions

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Best Bet

Australia +17.5 @ $1.90

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Facing South Africa in South Africa isn’t an easy task for the Wallabies, but getting a +17.5 start is handsome enough for us to back them.

The Wallabies come off a tough series loss to the British & Irish Lions, where they won the most recent game. That series might have taken something out of them, but South Africa might need a few more games under their belt to hit top gear.

We’re hoping Australia keeps it in the forwards and slows down the tempo of the game. If South Africa gets a lot of running ball, it should put up points. However, if Australia makes it dirty and kicks penalty goals, they should keep it close enough to cover the +17.5 spread.

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Same Game Multi

Australia +17.5, Edwill van der Merwe Anytime Try Scorer, Max Jorgensen Anytime Try Scorer, Over 54.5 @ $14.58

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It could be a wild game on attack, which should translate to plenty of points. Conditions in South Africa always allow for running rugby, and with Australia’s back line looking good against the Lions, it could keep up with the running Springboks.

We expect Edwill van der Merwe to score a try at $1.64. The odds aren’t huge, but the South African flyer is likely to score a try. He’s worth including in Rugby Championship picks to boost value. We also like Max Jorgensen, who pays $3.10 to score for Australia.

That’s an excellent price for him to score, and he could use his power close to the line to break through the tough Springboks defence.

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Best Value Bet

Australia +8.5 Halftime Line @ $1.90

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The Wallabies’ confidence should be high after pushing the Lions to their limits. Despite falling down the world rankings over the last few years, there is hope for this team with Joe Schmidt at the helm.

They should come out firing against South Africa, knowing this will be one of their toughest games of the tournament. We fancy Australia to keep it close at halftime, so getting a +8.5 line is well worth including in picks.

Not happy with your current bookie? See how the best Australian betting sites stack up, or browse the best betting apps. Joining a new bookie this week? The Neds code has the sign-up details.

Editor In Chief

Daryl Curnow

After graduating from the University of Auckland (BA - English), Daryl Curnow was thrown into the world of sports and horse racing journalism.

Having worked as a racing journalist for two years, he decided to move into the online world of horse racing and sports writing. After years of honing his craft, Daryl became a professional punter in 2009 - with a focus on horse racing, NRL, AFL, NBA, Rugby, NFL, and US college sports.

Daryl's tips have been featured on various websites around the world before joining the GoBet team. When he's not working, Daryl tries to avoid making bogeys on the golf course.