Rugby World Cup 2019 latest odds - who are the the favourites in the quarter-finals?
With the 2019 Rugby World Cup hurtling towards the knockout stages, Telegraph Sport takes a look at how the contenders are shaping up with the bookmakers.
Following the conclusion of the pool stages, several nations have all proved themselves as capable of lifting the Webb Ellis trophy. But, as ever, New Zealand remain the bookies' favourites, but will it be captain Kieran Reid making it three victories in a row for the All Blacks on Saturday November 2?
New Zealand 13/10
Despite a more temperate year by their own standards, New Zealand still possess ample class, and count some of the world's very best performers among their squad. The pool stage win against South Africa will have settled any pre-tournament doubts, despite giving them a tougher route through the knockout stages. Some reward.
South Africa 7/2
Rugby Championship winners for the first time since 2009, South Africa's squad is fearsome. They have strong depth in their rampaging forward pack; measured, pragmatic half-backs, and a punishing back-three. A pool-stage loss to New Zealand, has given them a slightly easier draw, too, with Japan and then Wales or France lying in wait. Following the Cherry Blossoms' all-conquering performance against Scotland, however, they will be no pushover for South Africa.
England 9/2
England have been simmering for most of the tournament thus far, and a quarter-final loss to Australia will be an unmitigated failure. Question marks remain over the team's ability under pressure but, if they can blow the Wallabies away on Saturday, there is little doubt that they are a serious contender for the tournament.
Wales 9/1
Six Nations champions Wales will be desperate to give departing coach Warren Gatland the perfect send-off and, with a pool-stage victory over Australia under their belts, spirits will be high for another strong knockout-stage run; a run in which they find themselves in the kinder half of the draw. They avoid both New Zealand and England until the final, too.
Ireland 20/1
Last November, you would not have found such good odds on Ireland winning the tournament and, even before the tournament, they were around 12/1. Conquerors of the All Blacks in 2018, Ireland were on the top of the world until a mediocre Six Nations campaign stunted their progress. A pool-stage loss to Japan has not helped, either, but a win against New Zealand in the quarter-finals will make them the talk of the rugby world once again.
Australia 28/1
Australia coughed and spluttered through the pool stages, but they can be ever so dangerous, as they proved with a brave second-half comeback against Wales. A win against England could set up a mouthwatering semi-final against New Zealand, a team that the Wallabies have already beaten this year.
France 40/1
At some point, it must come together for the French. They have the players and the infrastructure to rival any other nation, and they are the prime example of a team that is nowhere near the sum of its parts. Their quarter-final against Wales on Sunday will be tough, but if that's the day it all comes together, then Warren Gatland's men could be in trouble.
Japan 64/1
The odds of the hosts winning the tournament in early September were 300/1. They have been emphatically slashed now, but the hosts still remain the least unlikely to be lifting the trophy. However, with scintillating pool stage wins against big-hitting Ireland and Scotland, they cannot be written off. And, in captain Michael Leitch, they have a leader for the ages.
