Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Jon Doel

How Rugby World Cup 2023 is now expected to finish as two of world's top four literally can't make semi-finals

France are the favourites to win next year's Rugby World Cup, despite Ireland overtaking them as the number one ranked team in the world.

In fact, bookmakers only have Ireland as fourth favourites to win the tournament, behind New Zealand and about level with England. Wales, who were semi-finalists in 2019, are the seventh favourites to lift the Webb Ellis trophy.

France are understandably 5/2 favourites on home soil, with the All Blacks second at 10/3 despite this month's series defeat to the Irish leaving them in apparent crisis. Ireland, of course, have never made it past the World Cup quarter-finals despite winning multiple Six Nations titles over the past decade or so.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.