TAB’s Rugby 8 Win Margin on the final round of group matches in the 2023 Rugby World Cup (RWC) in France closes at 21:00 this Thursday, when the New Zealand-Uruguay Pool A clash kicks off in Lyon, and for rugby fans it’s a must-play bet.

POOL STARTS WITH TAB R10,000 ADD-IN!

These last eight group games will decide the quarter-finalists and comprise an alluring mix of easy-to-forecast and intriguing contests. And you can bank on a substantial pool because this Rugby 8 starts with a R10,000 cash add-in from TAB. The bet is easy to play - predict the winning team and margin of victory in each of eight games, choosing from 11 possible outcomes in each match. Simultaneously be sure to opt into TAB’s Rugby World Cup competition on Rugby 8. There’s no entry fee - just tap the cup icon to enter and get in the running for the weekly prizes, which include a Springbok jersey, plus there’s a VIP day at the races for the overall competition winner. The Rugby 8 pool on the fourth-round group games totalled nearly R130,000 with 42 customers each collecting R3,000.

Chile and Uruguay have proved more talented than many expected at this RWC, but that said the All Blacks look set to breeze home tonight and France should have a relatively easy time of things against Italy on Friday night in the final Pool A match. Italy will be out to salvage some pride after conceding 14 tries and being ripped apart by New Zealand, but it’s hard to envisage them troubling France.

Saturday’s three matches are harder to call, especially the Ireland-Scotland clash that South African rugby fans will not want to miss for the world because it will decide whether the Boks come home early or progress to the quarter-finals. The maths is simple - South Africa is out if Ireland score four tries and lose by more than 20 points. That’s a most unlikely outcome though and more likely is Ireland will win a hard-fought contest and take on the All Blacks in the quarters with the Boks facing France.

Wales and England should win their respective matches on Saturday and simultaneously progress to the quarter-finals, and then on Sunday afternoon comes the crunch encounter in Pool D between Japan and Argentina. The loser goes home, the winner finishes runner-up and goes into the quarters. Argentina made a shaky start to the tournament, but appear to be clicking into top gear at the right time and should have too much firepower for Japan when it matters. There are also Try Scorer bets on each of the group matches. Tap on Rugby on the top navigation bar at www.tab4racing.com to access the bets.