Champions.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup currently taking place in Japan is notable for a lot of reasons.

For one, it’s the first Rugby Cup to ever be held in Asia, a move facilitated by Japan’s meteoric rise through the world rugby ranks, as they have gone from relative obscurity to becoming one of the most well-known teams in the game almost overnight.

They may be out of the running this time, but Japan has made a lifelong name for itself in the sport.

Another reason this year’s World Cup stands out is the sheer unpredictability of it all. During most tournaments, it’s usually pretty clear from the outset which two teams are going to make it to the final. Not this year. The rounds that we have witnessed throughout this tournament have been the most unpredictable in recent memory.

The result is that it is almost impossible to call who will actually take home the trophy this year. Let’s take a look at the top contenders to see if we can figure out who will win the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

New Zealand

New Zealand are, by most counts, this year’s hot ticket. According to the latest Betfair tips, New Zealand are favourites for the tournament, with odds of 5/6 to secure the trophy. Despite their somewhat disappointing performances in the past three years, NZ undoubtedly have the most talented players in their squad this time around. Their resounding victory over Ireland seems to have cemented their position as the bookies’ fave.

South Africa

Although South Africa can no longer bask in the afterglow of their last World Cup win, given that it was over 12 years ago, but there is plenty of reason to believe that the Springboks will pull it out of the bag in 2019. Rassie Erasmus is still widely considered to be the best rugby manager alive today, and South Africa’s recent performances in the knockout stages suggest that these guys could easily bypass New Zealand to snatch the cup. Only time will tell.

England

England are always a tough one to call. Just when you think their best days are behind them, they show the world that they have still got it. Their stellar performance in this year’s six nations, in which they came runner-up, as well as their shock victories of Australia and New Zealand at the end of year internationals, has shown that England are still very much a force to be reckoned with. The recent victory over Australia in the quarter-final stage reinforced that as they won convincingly, but the All Blacks will be a much tougher test.

Wales

Wales may have the lowest odds of winning out of the four, but their chances of breaking through to the final are looking good. They won’t have to face off against New Zealand or England – two teams they have a poor track record against – until the final. In addition, their strong pool-stage victory over Australia has got spirits running high, with plenty of fans believing that Wales will make history this year.

The Rugby World Cup may soon be over, but anything can happen in the remaining matches.