Two teams with 100% records after two games, New Zealand will host Ireland to see which can maintain their excellent start to the 2026 Nations Championship.

The sides collide in Auckland on Saturday, July 12, at 17:10 AEST, with the game being played at Eden Park.

Quick Picks

Our pick: New Zealand to win

Value bet: Ireland in the handicap

Long shot: New Zealand to win by 8-14

Betting Preview

New Zealand started with an impressive victory over France in Round 1 of the Southern Hemisphere Series, defeating Les Bleus 34-32 in a closely contested match.

The All Blacks then enjoyed an easier match-up in round two, smashing Italy 47-17 last weekend and making the most of a player advantage after the visitors had a man sent off.

Will Jordan scored a hat-trick against the Azzurri, with the All Blacks running in seven tries. In doing so, Jordan became the All Black’s all-time leading try-scorer with his 50th.

Ruben Love was also deadly with his boot, being successful with six of his seven conversion attempts. Josh Moorby and Anton Segner both made their debuts, while Tyrel Lomax earned his 50th Test cap.

Ireland won their opening-round match in a similar fashion, recording a tight 33-31 victory over Australia, and then won 36-20 over Japan last weekend.

Ireland picked up a bonus point against Japan after scoring five tries, each by a different player. Ciarán Frawley converted three of four attempts, with Harry Byrne converting the other one.

In that game, Ireland handed out debuts to Billy Bohan, Sean Jansen, Sam Illo and Bryn Ward, while Rónan Kelleher played in his 50th Test.

Betting Markets to Watch

The odds favour New Zealand in the moneyline market, which is perhaps no surprise. The All Blacks have a 76% winning record in test match rugby, and have recorded more wins than losses against every international opponent. Furthermore, New Zealand are unbeaten in 52 Tests at Eden Park over 32 years.

Ireland last played at this venue in 2022, where they were defeated 42-19. They won the series, but Eden Park proved to be a different animal for them. Given how they have been performing, there is perhaps better value in the handicap line, with Ireland (+12.5) offering value.

Despite Andy Farrell’s side making errors, they have been able to play match-winning rugby, which can help them to keep this game tighter than the margins indicate. Like Dave Rennie’s side, both teams have claimed maximum points, suggesting they could produce a tight contest.

The Over (O 55.5) total points market also has value, as both teams have powerful players who can make plays happen and score tries.

Our Prediction

Check the latest New Zealand vs Ireland betting odds at Sportsbet.

We think the most likely outcome is a New Zealand win, given their dominance at Eden Park.

The long shot in this game is New Zealand to win by 8-14. 

Although the market and history may suggest a larger margin, Ireland are solid and could keep things much tighter than expected.