Betfair Official Blog

No reason in the world why Fiji start as favourites against Canada

Click here to view market

Betfair's rugby expert Tony Calvin on Fiji's clash with Canada

This weekend sees a lot of potential plays and lays for Betfair punters, and I reckon opposing Fiji on the outright and handicap markets is the way to go in this match.

Basically, from the evidence of their opening matches, Canada should be favourites.

Fiji have all the natural talent in the world and some sublime athletes in their side, but they just didn't look that interested in a 35-31 defeat of Japan, apart from when they were defending for their lives in a pulsating finish.

Second best at the scrimmage despite possessing plenty of ballast, their backline moves lacked cohesion and the spillage and error rate was pretty horrendous.

From what I saw against the Japanese (albeit a completely different, and stronger, Japan side that lost 91-3 to Australia), I would baulk at backing them at evens to win the match, so they have to be laid 1.66 in the match odds market and on Betfair's -3.5 line.

Canada looked a far more compact and efficient side against the Welsh, and they traded at 3 when taking an early 17-9 second half lead in that match.

But the Welsh threequarters them came to the fore, which is something that Fiji may not be able to manage, for all their undoubted potential in this area.

And the clincher? Canada have had three days extra rest from their opening match.

Let's hope Fiji play as badly as they did against Japan, because Canada will win if they do.