Why You Should Bet On Canada to Win the 2011 Rugby World Cup
Because you're Canadian, that's why. And because your national pride could just pay off in the end. Ok, maybe I'm being a little optimistic here, considering Canada is renowned for its ice hockey prowess and not so much for its skills in rugby, a sport that has traditionally been dominated by a handful of teams from the Southern Hemisphere and Europe.
However, if you've been avidly following all of the 2011 Rugby World Cup action from New Zealand the way I have, you will not failed to have noticed that the 'underdog' teams (of which Canada is unfortunately one) have fared far better than most rugby fans expected, Canada included. It seems the Canadian national rugby team flew down under on a mission.
For instance, on Wednesday last, Canada won their first match of the tournament against Tonga 25-20, an impressive result considering the Tongans are renowned for their toughness. And while some 'couch commentators' have said that the Tongans were still recovering from their grueling match against hosts and current World Cup betting favorites, the All Blacks, the week before (which they lost 41-10), if you watched Wednesday's game, you'd agree that Canada earned every point.
I Backed Canada To Win 2011 World Cup at Bet365
In fact, after watching that game I don't mind telling you that I logged into my favorite online sportsbook, Bet365, where I proceeded to place a $100 outright bet on Canada to win the 2011 World Cup. And no, I wasn't drunk or under the influence of any illegal substances at the time. I was just excited about how well Canada did against a hard opponent, and wanted to show my support with a small wager. (Bet365 has Canada at 2000/1 odds to win the tournament, so if they pull off a win, who'll be laughing then?)
Of course, my excitement grew in spades in anticipation of Canada's showdown yesterday (Sunday) against France, who are the 12/1 betting favorites at Bet365 to win the World Cup. And although my head was telling me Canada had no chance whatsoever, my heart was hoping for something else (cue violins), perhaps even a miracle.
But a miracle was nowhere to be seen. I'll happily spare you a play-by-play, suffice to say that when the whistle blew for half time, France was leading Canada 19-10, which in rugby is not an unreasonable deficit to close. But if the French were ruthless in the first half, they were relentless in the second. In fact, I was almost relieved when the final whistle came, because it meant our boys could get off the field and nurse their collective cuts and bruises. Final score: France 46, Canada 19. Oh well, you can't win em all.
So maybe my $100 bet was a little premature, but hey, Canada could still bounce back in their upcoming game against Japan which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 27. I am still hopeful, as I can visualize my $200,000 Bet365 payday floating somewhere off in the distance...
 | Posted by Anton Johan at 02:57 on 20 September 2011 |
