Rugby World Cup 2023 Saturday match predictions and tips: Australia and Azzurri set for strong starts

Where to watch Italy v Namibia

ITV1, midday Saturday

Where to watch Australia v Georgia

ITV1, 5pm Saturday

Handicaps

Italy -33
Namibia +34

Australia -20
Georgia +21

Best bet

Italy -33
2pts Evs bet365

Australia -20
2pts 10-11 Betfair, Paddy Power

Match predictions

Taking teams to cover sizeable handicaps on the first weekend of a Rugby World Cup is often fraught with danger but Italy and Australia look well placed to win big in their opening matches on Saturday.

Italy take on Namibia, a team with the worst defensive record in the tournament having shipped an average of nearly 60 points per game at the last five World Cups.

These teams met in their first pool match in 2019, when Italy won 47-22 as the Azzurri fell just short of covering a 29-point handicap. But even though the line is bigger this time, the Italians look to have far more of a cutting edge.

They scored 89 points and nine tries in this year's Six Nations, their best haul since 2019, and in wingers Ange Capuozzo and Monty Ioane, plus Paolo Odogwu on the bench, there is real firepower in the Azzurri line-up.

Italy scored 57 points in their last warm-up match against Romania and 42 against Japan before that, and they can run up another big score in Saint-Etienne.

Australia are without a win this year and might see a clash with Georgia as a tricky challenge, but this is a good opportunity for a young Wallabies side to turn the tide and they are unlikely to ease up.

Georgia are the dominant tier-two side in the northern hemisphere having won the Rugby Europe Championship in 11 of the last 12 years, including the last five, and they have beaten Italy and Wales since the last World Cup in Japan.

But there's clear gulf when they face top-tier teams as the Lelos can't seem to post points against better defences. Georgia lost 33-6 to Scotland last month, and in their matches in the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup they failed to register a point against England or Wales.

Australia won 27-8 when the teams met in their final pool match of 2019, but there's more pressure on the Wallabies this time to make a statement and Georgia may not be able to stop them pulling away.

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport