Ireland vs Fiji U20 Tips - 9th Place Semi, 13 July
Ireland face Fiji in the U20 Championship 9th-place semi-final at AIA Arena, Kutaisi on Monday 13 July.
- Ireland meet Fiji in the ninth-place semi-final at AIA Arena, Kutaisi on Monday 13 July, kicking off at 18:30 SAST (20:30 local).
- Ireland closed the pool stage with a 73-22 rout of the United States, while Fiji finished third in Pool D behind France and Australia.
- Ireland's attacking form and Fiji's leaky defence against strong packs point to a comfortable Irish win with points on the board.
Ireland head into Kutaisi off the back of a statement performance and should have too much firepower for Fiji in this ninth-place semi-final. Fiji have been competitive without winning enough games, and Ireland's attack has been the standout of the third-placed sides. We are backing the Irish to win comfortably and cover a healthy handicap.
The Pick Card
Prices from Hollywoodbets, Betway and Easybet. 18+. T&Cs apply.
| Selection | Bookmaker | Odds | Stake | Operator CTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland to win | Hollywoodbets | @1.55 (indicative) | 3 Units | Bet here |
| Ireland handicap -6.5 | Betway | @1.90 (indicative) | 2 Units | Bet here |
| Over 44.5 total points | Easybet | @1.75 (indicative) | 1 Unit | Bet here |
The Form Line
Ireland finished third in Pool C with a losing bonus point run against England and Argentina before closing the pool stage with a 73-22 demolition of the United States, an 11-try haul that included a hat-trick for Charlie O'Shea. That result papers over the two defeats and shows the Irish attack has real teeth when the opposition sits off them.
Fiji finished third in Pool D behind France and Australia, taking a 45-15 opening beating from France before finding their feet with a win in round two. They have the ball skills to hurt sides in broken play but have conceded heavily against the stronger packs in the pool.
Verdict
Ireland's scoring output against the United States is the standout number from Monday's ninth-place bracket, and Fiji's pool numbers show a side that leaks points against sides with go-forward ball. We expect Ireland to control this from the outset and the handicap price is where the real value sits, with the total points also trending high given both sides' attacking instincts.
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