There is a wide range of sports set to take global headlines this week, but it is rugby that is commanding the most interest at the moment. The Rugby Union World Cup has already provided drama, thrills, spills and monumental upsets. On Saturday it is the turn of the two host nations to do battle as England host Wales at Twickenham. England are looking to build on an unconvincing victory over Fiji, while Wales must take the step up from an easy win over Uruguay and work towards a vital victory over their bitter rivals. There is action in both codes, as Rugby League’s Super 8’s come to an end. Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Rhinos are both certain of a place in the Grand Final play-offs but they’ll both be going all out the win, with Leeds certainly pushing hard to maintain their position at the top of the table.
There is plenty at stake in the rugby, but in this week’s Tour Championship there is a full $10 million up for grabs, and only one player can claim it in our view. Jason Day is in pole position after his BMW Championship title, but there are a whole host of competitors breathing down his neck. Sunday sees another clear favourite striving to ensure he is not caught in the standings, as Lewis Hamilton looks to recover from a poor Singapore Grand Prix with victory in Japan. However, he will have to be wary of German pair Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel. It’s fair to say betting on these events won’t make you as rich as whoever wins the FedEx Cup this weekend, but it could provide nice profit all the same.
- Tour Championship – Jason Day to win (7/2 at Betfair)
- Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos – Leeds Rhinos to win (11/10 at Bet365)
- England v Wales – England to win by 1-12 points (7/4 at Sky Bet)
- Japanese Grand Prix – Sebastian Vettel to win (7/2 at Sky Bet)
Tour Championship – 24th – 27th September
And then there were 30. A field of 125 top golfers has been whittled down over three tournaments, and now less than a quarter of the original field battle it out at East Lake in Atlanta for the $10 million winning purse. Generally the rule is the Tour Championship winner scoops the grand prize, as has been the case in the last five FedEx Cup tournaments. And if Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler or Bubba Watson win in Atlanta they are mathematically assured of the title, no matter what their opponents do. A number of players will need a fair bit of help to win. Thirtieth place Harris English, for instance, needs Day to finish dead last and the rest to finish tied second or worse as well as winning the Tour Championship to claim the top prize.
There are only really five players in consideration for the jackpot – the five who have dominated the early rounds and know East Lake success sees them home. The key to winning at East Lake is big hitting and aggressive play off the fairway. Henrik Stenson and Rickie Fowler stand a chance as their course management is excellent, and it is the reason Stenson has finished second twice in the three FedEx Cup play-offs while Fowler has recorded fourth and tied fourth finishes, but neither have had the killer instinct to take top spot. Watson and Spieth certainly pack a punch with their drives, but it is Jason Day who will fancy this the most. The Australian is in red-hot form, winning four of his last six events, and cantered to BMW Championship success to become world number one for the first time. Day deserves the FedEx Cup jackpot, and he will get it. Betfair are offering 7/2 on the clear favourite, which in this case are odds worth taking without thinking twice.
- Jason Day to win – 7/2 at Betfair
Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos – 25th September
People were starting to think that it was too easy for the Leeds Rhinos. Brian McDermott’s side were cruising to first place in the Super 8’s and the easiest draw on paper, but successive defeats to St Helens, Catalans Dragons and Castleford Tigers have left them in a precarious position. While Leeds seemed destined to top the Super 8s group, now any of the top four can usurp them after the final round of fixtures. Wigan Warriors, level on points with the Rhinos, take on Castleford while St Helens are one point behind and take on Warrington Wolves. Huddersfield Giants have propelled themselves into contention, winning five in a row to pip St Helens to third with one game left despite being level on points. A sixth consecutive win plus Wigan failing to take maximum points would see the Giants stun the rest and top the league going into the Grand Final play-offs.
Leeds being found outside evens is such a rarity these days that it is worth not missing the opportunity to bet on them when they are. Bet365 have priced Brian McDermott’s side at 11/10 to beat third-place Giants, and despite their recent poor form Leeds should be winning this tie. They may have taken their eye off the ball in recent weeks, but with the Grand Final just over the horizon the Rhinos are the best bet to power their way into first spot and the nicest-looking route to the showpiece finale. A Leeds win will also mean these two sides will be seeing each other again very soon, with more than Super 8 places at stake.
- Leeds Rhinos to win – 11/10 at Bet365
England v Wales – 26th September
One played, one won. England and Wales have started their World Cup campaigns in identical fashion, with Stuart Lancaster’s side beating Fiji 35-11 before Warren Gatland’s Wales thrashed Uruguay 54-9. Neither were particularly impressive, as Wales overturned the clear outsiders for Pool A while England were made to sweat by a determined Fiji, but both will have to up their game quickly for this crunch clash. England have won the last two meetings between the sides to edge clear of Wales in their overall head-to-head record with 58 wins to Wales’ 56. With Australia still to come for both, the winner of this game will take a huge step towards the quarter finals while the loser will most likely have to defeat the Wallabies to stand a chance.
England will go into this match in high spirits despite their struggles against Fiji, due to a professional victory at the Millennium Stadium to kick off the 2015 Six Nations campaign. Additionally, Wales are in the midst of an injury crisis, with Cory Allen ruled out for the entirety of the World Cup. England are clear favourites to win this one but Wales always provide tough opposition, even when the likes of Leigh Halfpenny and Allen are unavailable. It is likely to be tight, but England could pull away, which means Sky Bet’s offer of 7/4 on England winning by 1-12 points provides plenty of room for manoeuvre.
- England to win by 1-12 points – 7/4 at Sky Bet
Japanese Grand Prix – September 27th
All of a sudden, there is slight unrest in the Lewis Hamilton camp. The defending Formula 1 world champion seemed to be cruising to successive titles, but the Brit’s momentum has stalled somewhat after a calamitous Singapore Grand Prix. Hamilton’s car suffered a loss of power causing the twice world champion to retire from the race, allowing Sebastian Vettel to claim his third race victory of the season. Vettel is now just eight points behind Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, who himself is 41 points behind the Brit. To keep the German pair off his back Hamilton will need to keep winning, because with 150 points still available there is little margin of error.
Next up is the Japanese Grand Prix, a tournament both Hamilton and Vettel are used to winning. The former won last year, seven years after his first victory at Suzuka, while the latter has won four of the last six Grand Prix races in Japan. Vettel will be boosted by the fact Ferrari have finally found form while Mercedes struggled in Singapore, with Rosberg’s fourth place finish a poor tonic for Hamilton’s withdrawal. Ferrari’s target for this season was a mere three wins, and Vettel has achieved that himself. However, the German’s natural competitiveness means he will keep fighting to win as many races as possible, even if the Drivers Championship is slightly out of reach. Sky Bet are offering 7/2 on Vettel winning a fifth Japanese title and giving both Hamilton and Rosberg real food for thought.
- Sebastian Vettel to win – 7/2 at Sky Bet