This time big punters have seemingly learnt their lesson

ATTN RUGBY DESKS///
WORLD CUP LEAD//WORLD CUP LEAD//
CENTREBET//CENTREBET//NEIL EVANS

ONCE BITTEN, HOW MANY TIMES SHY?

This time big punters have seemingly learnt their lesson!

The NZ All Blacks go into the 2011 Rugby World Cup a clear $1.72 favourite on Centrebet, but unlike before their failed bids of the past, this time punters on both sides of the Tasman have travelled with planned caution!

"The All Blacks opened $2.30 a very long time ago, and have been as short as $1.50 at the height of their build-up, but they’ve eased to $1.72 with a couple of lacklustre performances coming in," Centrebet Media Chief Neil Evans said.

"And there's been thousands of bets taken over many months, but $10,000.00 outright is about the biggest. Clients from Christchurch, Auckland, Dunedin and across Australia have put down scores of bets anywhere from $100.00 to $5,000.00, but refuse to go off early when it comes to the monster cash!

"They burnt their fingers big-time on the All Blacks early in 2007 - I remember wagers of over $200,000.00 - but this time they're not obsessed by NZ's odds-on favouritism, almost respectful of the massive anticipation levelled on the team from one end of the Shaky Isles to the other!”

Evans said the Wallabies are closing all the time and had firmed heavily from $4.50 into $3.85 before easing back out today to $4.00!

Defending champion South Africa is well back on the third line at $9.00, with 2003 champion England out at $15.00!

"It's a simple fear for all NZ Rugby fans! Some 24 years after they won the inaugural tournament, they can either draw level with the Wallabies and Springboks on two, or painfully watch one of those countries win it for an historic third time!" he said.

And in what might be a little concern for All Black fans, Evans said the money was 3:1 Tonga’s way at the giant Line of 56.5 at $1.91 just hours from their opening Group match! “Of course, like many first-up clashes against the minnow nations, there’s no head-to-head betting, but of the near $100,000.00 bet already, nearly $70,000.00 is on Tonga with the 56.5 start,” Evans said.

Australia is an unbackable $1.01 hot-pot against Italy ($16.00), with the $1.91 Line set at 30.5, while South Africa is a $1.13 favourite first-up against struggling Wales ($5.85)!

GROUP MATCHES

$1.91 NEW ZEALAND (-56.5)
$1.91 TONGA (+56.5)

$1.01 SCOTLAND (-33.5)
$17.00 ROMANIA (+33.5)

$1.01 FIJI (-30.5)
$16.00 NAMIBIA (+30.5)

$1.91 FRANCE (-42.5)
$1.91 JAPAN (+42.5)

$4.75 ARGENTINA (+11.5)
$1.19 ENGLAND (-11.5)

$1.01 AUSTRALIA (-30.5)
$16.00 ITALY (+30.5)

$1.01 IRELAND (-32.5)
$16.00 USA (+32.5)

$1.13 STH AFRICA (-13.5)
$5.85 WALES (+13.5)

Rugby World Cup - 2011

$1.72 New Zealand (out from $1.70)
$4.00 Australia (out from $3.85)
$9.00 South Africa
$15.00 England
$19.00 France
$41.00 Ireland
$81.00 Wales
$201.00 bar

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