France v Namibia Prediction, Preview & Odds – Rugby World Cup
We have a France v Namibia prediction along with the betting odds for you ahead of the third round of fixtures at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
France v Namibia Match Info
When? 8.00 pm, Thursday, September 21st
Where? Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
TV Channel? ITV 4 and RTÉ Player
France v Namibia Betting Odds
| France v Namibia Betting Odds – 2023 Rugby World Cup | ||
| Team | Odds | Chance |
| France | 1/1000 | 99.9% |
| Namibia | 100/1 | 1% |
| The Draw | 100/1 | 1% |
Our oddsmakers believe France are a virtual certainty to win this as they have been installed at odds of 1/1000. Namibia are of course massive underdogs priced up at 100/1 while the draw is currently 100/1.
Handicap Betting
The handicap betting for this one is France -70 at 10/11. The handicap was previously -66 earlier in the week but as we get closer to game time it has been bet out in France’s favour.
In a game this lopsided there will be plenty of interest in the handicap betting. New Zealand’s margin of victory was 68 points against the Namibians and France will have to better that to deliver for handicap backers.
France v Namibia Preview
France’s Form
France opened their Rugby World Cup campaign with a 27-13 victory against New Zealand on the opening night of the tournament. The tries that evening came from Penaud and Jaminet while Ramos hit 1/1 conversions and 5/7 penalties.
The French followed that up with a 27-12 victory against Uruguay in their second outing. Uruguay were within touching distance for much of the game which would have given this side a scare but the heavily rotated side got the job done in the end. That rest for key starters could prove crucial come the latter stages of this Rugby World Cup.
World Cup hosts France are looking to win their first-ever Rugby World Cup with their best finish being a runners-up finish in 1987, 1999 and 2011. At the 2019 tournament, they were eliminated at the Quarter-Final stage by Wales.
Despite being home to some of the finest Rugby talent for decades, they’ve regularly underperformed on the biggest stage of them all. However, current French Head Coach Fabien Galthié could be the man to turn those fortunes around.
Since being appointed in 2019 he guided them to a 2022 Grand Slam victory and came into this tournament with a win rate of 80% which is by far the best in the country’s history. This includes seven wins from nine games this year with the first of those two losses coming against Ireland in March.
In their warm-up for the tournament, France played four matches, losing their first 25-21 to Scotland but they avenged that defeat in the return game 30-27. In the following two games, normal service was resumed with a 34-17 win against Fiji and a 41-17 victory over Australia.
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Namibia’s Form
This Namibia side have got off to a tough start to this Rugby World Cup. Their first outing came against Italy in a game they would have been hoping to keep close. Instead the Italians ran riot as Namibia fell to a 52-8 defeat.
Things didn’t get any easier in the next round against New Zealand. The All Blacks showed their class as they cruised to a 71-3 win to leave Namibia on zero points after two games at this World Cup.
The Namibians are the 21st ranked nation in the world and have failed to get out of the pool stage on six previous attempts at the Rugby World Cup.
Allister Coetzee has been Head Coach since 2021 and he guided them to World Cup qualification by winning the 2022 Africa Cup, beating Kenya in the final 36-0.
Namibia’s first Rugby World Cup warm-up game came against pool rivals Uruguay back in August where they lost 26-18. The following week they claimed a narrow 26-28 victory against Chile which was their final game in preparation for this tournament.
Team News
France Starting Lineup
- Cyril Baille
- Peato Mauvaka
- Uini Atonio
- Cameron Woki
- Thibaud Flament
- Francois Cros
- Charles Ollivon
- Anthony Jelonch
- Antoine Dupont
- Matthieu Jalibert
- Louis Bielle-Biarrey
- Jonathan Danty
- Gael Fickou
- Damian Penaud
- Thomas Ramos
Namibia Starting Lineup
- Desiderius Sethie
- Louis van der Westhuizen
- Johan Coetzee
- Mahepisa Tjeriko
- Adriaan Ludick
- Max Katjijeko
- Johan Retief
- Prince Gaoseb
- Jacques Theron
- Cliven Loubser
- JC Greyling
- Danco Burger
- Johan Deysel (C)
- Gerswin Mouton
- Andre van der Bergh
Key Players To Watch`
Thomas Ramos
Thomas Ramos has drifted from 5/2 to 9/2 to be the Top Points Scorer at this tournament following his 17-point haul against New Zealand. Ramos trails Johnny Sexton (40) at 9/4 and George Ford (41) at 3/1 after he was given a rest for their second pool game against Uruguay.
The talented full-back will be expected to be back on kicking duty for France against Namibia who have conceded 52 points and 71 points in their first two Pool A Games. Ramos will very likely put up another big haul in this one to put himself right back in the mix for top points scorer honours.
Johan Deysel
The Namibian Captain and Centre Deysel (31) has played the entirety of his club career in South Africa having moved to South Africa after high school. He made his debut for Namibia back in 2013 when he started in their 55–35 victory over Kenya.
The centre is one of the African team’s primary ball carriers so expect to hear his name often when Namibia are in possession.
France v Namibia Previous Results
France has played Namibia on two occasions.
The first came at the 1999 Rugby World Cup where they defeated them 47-13. The second time came at the 2007 Rugby World Cup which finished 87-10 in France’s favour.
France v Namibia Prediction & Best Bet
Prediction: France 77-3 Namibia
France looked the real deal following their victory over New Zealand and their rotated fifteen followed that up with a needed victory in their second Pool Stage match against Uruguay.
Namibia have lost their two previous games by big margins and with France presumably back to full strength in this one the home side could run riot on Thursday.
Best Bet: France To Win Both Halves By 34 Points Or More @ 5/2
Click Below For All Our France v Namibia Odds
*Prices subject to fluctuation
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