Bulls v All Blacks Betting Preview: Suggested Bets and Odds Prediction – 15 August 2026
The Vodacom Bulls host the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, 15 August 2026, in the third franchise match of New Zealand’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:00 South African time.
New Zealand arrive in Pretoria with two wins from two on tour after beating the Stormers 38-21 in Cape Town and following that with a much more comfortable 54-0 victory over the Sharks in Durban.
The Bulls should provide a different type of challenge. Johan Ackermann’s side reached the 2026 United Rugby Championship final and will have the advantage of playing at Loftus, more than 1,300 metres above sea level. The All Blacks are still expected to start as favourites, but the handicap market could be more interesting than simply backing New Zealand to win.
The odds below are predicted prices rather than confirmed bookmaker odds. Players should compare the latest markets before placing a bet, as prices and handicap lines can change before kick-off.
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All Blacks Bring Winning Form to Loftus
New Zealand have made an impressive start to their South African tour.
Their 38-21 victory over the Stormers was closer than the final score suggests. The teams were level at 14-14 during the second half before the All Blacks scored three late tries to pull clear. Against the Sharks four days later, there was far less uncertainty as New Zealand completed a 54-0 win.
The Bulls come into the match with stronger recent club credentials than either of New Zealand’s first two opponents. They reached the URC Grand Final in June after beating Munster 45-14 at Loftus and then Glasgow Warriors 22-21 away in the semi-final. Their season eventually ended with a 36-7 defeat against Leinster in Dublin.
Ackermann has also selected an experienced side for Saturday. Four capped Springboks feature in the starting XV, with Willie le Roux, Embrose Papier, Curwin Bosch and captain Marcell Coetzee providing international experience. Bosch will start at fly-half after returning to South Africa following two seasons with Brive in France.
The All Blacks have rotated again but their side remains strong. Codie Taylor captains the team from hooker, while Beauden Barrett starts at full-back. Anton Lienert-Brown and Rieko Ioane form an experienced midfield, with Josh Jacomb given an opportunity at fly-half. Wallace Sititi, Samisoni Taukei’aho and Emoni Narawa are among the options from the bench.
Loftus could also play a role in how the match develops. The stadium sits around 1,350 metres above sea level, which can influence both stamina and the distance available from tactical and goal kicks.
Suggested Bets and Predicted Odds
All Blacks to win — predicted odds: 1.25 to 1.35
New Zealand have now scored 92 points across their first two tour matches while conceding only 21.
They are also able to rotate their side without losing much international experience. Taylor, Barrett, Lienert-Brown, Ioane and Patrick Tuipulotu give this team a substantial number of Test caps despite several players being given opportunities ahead of the Springbok series.
An All Blacks match-winner bet is therefore the safer option, although a price around 1.30 would offer relatively limited value on its own.
Bulls +14.5 handicap — predicted odds: 1.85 to 1.95
This could be the more interesting market.
The Stormers remained competitive for more than an hour before eventually losing by 17 points, and the Bulls have reasons to believe they can offer a similar or greater challenge.
They are playing at Loftus, have selected four Springboks in their starting side and were the strongest-performing South African franchise in the most recent URC season. The Bulls also have useful experience in key positions through Le Roux, Papier, Bosch and Coetzee.
A +14.5 handicap would mean the bet still wins if the Bulls lose by 14 points or fewer.
The attractiveness of this selection depends heavily on the line. At +14.5 or higher, there is enough room to consider the Bulls. A handicap closer to +9.5 would be considerably less appealing.
Over 50.5 total points — predicted odds: 1.85 to 1.95
New Zealand’s two tour matches have produced totals of 59 and 54 points.
The All Blacks have also demonstrated an ability to accelerate late in matches. Their three-try finish against the Stormers is particularly relevant at altitude, where tired defenders can leave more space during the final quarter.
The Bulls should offer considerably more attacking threat than the Sharks managed in Durban. Bosch gives them a strong kicking option while Papier can increase the tempo around the breakdown.
That creates the possibility of both teams contributing to the scoreboard rather than New Zealand having to produce most of the total themselves.
A line around 50.5 would therefore be worth considering. Once the market moves much beyond 54.5, the margin for error becomes narrower.
South African bettors can compare these markets across the quality online casinos and sportsbooks listed on our site. Handicap and total-points lines are particularly worth comparing because a difference of only a few points can materially change the value of a bet.
Match Prediction: All Blacks to Win 34-24
The Bulls appear capable of producing New Zealand’s toughest franchise challenge of the tour so far.
Their home advantage, altitude and stronger selection should make a repeat of the Sharks’ 54-0 defeat unlikely. The Bulls also have enough experience to keep the match competitive if they can control territory and avoid giving New Zealand easy counter-attacking opportunities.
New Zealand still have the greater depth.
They have won five consecutive matches when their three Nations Championship victories are added to the wins over the Stormers and Sharks, and competition for places ahead of the first Springbok Test should give the players selected at Loftus additional motivation. The Bulls match is New Zealand’s final fixture before facing South Africa at Ellis Park on 22 August.
The Bulls may stay within one or two scores for a substantial part of the contest, but New Zealand’s replacement strength could again become important during the final quarter.
- Predicted score: Bulls 24-34 All Blacks
- Best result bet: All Blacks to win at predicted odds of 1.25 to 1.35
- Preferred value bet: Bulls +14.5 at predicted odds of 1.85 to 1.95
- Total-points selection: Over 50.5 at predicted odds of 1.85 to 1.95
The odds above are estimates and may differ from prices offered by individual operators. Betting markets can also move before kick-off. Gambling involves financial risk and is only available to people aged 18 or older. Set a budget and never bet more than you can afford to lose.