All Blacks underdogs for the first time at a Rugby World Cup for quarterfinal v Ireland

And starting a game as rare underdogs has not worked well for the three-time Cup winners – on the five occasions their opponents have been favoured to win, New Zealand have lost four of them.

Ireland and hosts France share equal favouritism to win the trophy at $4, with New Zealand and South Africa joint third favourites at $4.50, despite two of the quartet of teams guaranteed to be eliminated in the last eight, with France hosting the Springboks on Monday morning.

The All Blacks have only been underdogs in five of their 359 games since the NZ TAB first offered sports betting odds in 1996 – all of them away to the Springboks in South Africa.

New Zealand began the 2023 World Cup in France as the title favourites at $3.50, and hence were paying $1.82 to beat the hosts in the opening game of the tournament in the capital last month, which France won 27-13.

AT A GLANCE

All Blacks opening as underdogs at the NZ TAB:

$2.70 v South Africa, Johannesburg, 2022 – won 35-23

$2.00 v South Africa, Mbombela, 2022 – lost 26-10

$2.50 v South Africa, Durban, 2009 – lost 31-19

$2.60 v South Africa, Bloemfontein, 2009 – lost 28-19

$2.30 v South Africa, Durban, 1998 – lost 24-23