Rassie Erasmus urges caution over Tonga, bookies NOT worried

While Rassie Erasmus and his fellow Springbok management staff have gone to great lengths to talk up the challenge of facing Tonga, bookmakers can only see one winner.

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The Springboks will take on Tonga in their fourth and final Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B encounter in Marseille on Sunday, 1 October.

Kick-off is at 21:00 (SA time).

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The Springboks opened their campaign with a 18-3 win over Scotland and then went on to beat Romania 76-0.

However, they lost their most recent clash against Ireland 13-8 making Sunday’s match a must-win for Jacques Nienaber’s team.

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Erasmus and several other Springboks management members have been widely quoted this week talking up the ‘brutal’ challenge that awaits the defending champions this weekend.

Truth be told, that’s just ‘talk’ and there’s no way the Springboks will lose on Sunday.

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SPRINGBOKS HAVE NEVER LOST TO TONGA

Sure, their may be a few sore bodies come the final whistle, but there’s a reason the Springboks won’t field their strongest possible line-up when Nienaber names his 23-man squad later on Wednesday.

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The Springboks and Tonga have faced each other twice previously – in 1997 and at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

No surprise to learn that the Springboks won both those matches: 74-10 and 30-25, respectively.

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Leading South African bookmakers Hollywoodbets are so convinced that the Springboks will win, that they are NOT offering odds on a Springbok win!

Tonga can be backed at 33/1 to pull off the upset of the tournament, while the draw after 80 minutes is available at 66/1.

In handicap terms, the Springboks are 41.5-point favourites.

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What do YOU think the result of Sunday’s match will be?

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