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The 1st Test match between the Springboks and British & Irish Lions is here at last and if the betting is anything to go by we should be in for a close game on Saturday.

Let’s start with a look at the Series Betting where money has come for South Africa this week and they have moved from slight underdogs to joint favourites with the Lions at 19/20. The drawn Series is on offer at 25/1.

Looking at the Correct Score Market, the British & Irish Lions 2-1 is 15/10 and South Africa 2-1 is 19/10. If you fancy the Boks can get a clean sweep, 3-0 you can get 9/2. There is also betting on the Correct Score after 2 Tests where the draw at 1-1 is trading at an 11/10 favourite and you can click here for the Outright Betting Markets.

THE 1ST TEST

This will be the first of three Tests played in Cape Town after the Johannesburg and Pretoria Tests were moved due to COVID concerns.

South Africa come into this Test Match without having played a top tier side since their World Cup win over England in 2019. They beat Georgia 40-9 in a warm up, but the proposed 2nd Test against Georgia was cancelled due to COVID. It was because of this a strong South Africa “A” side was named last week to take on the Lions in Cape Town and it was the South Africans who came out on top 17-13 although one got the feeling that neither coach was showing their hand. Some of the squad were also in action on Saturday against the Bulls where they lost 17-14 in Cape Town.

The Lions have had relatively easy victories on tour other than of course the defeat against the SA “A” team. They beat the Sigma Lions by 42 points and then the Sharks by 40-7 in Johannesburg and they then played the Sharks again at Loftus where they won by 40 points despite being level at the break. The Sharks were given a red card early in the second-half.

Their most recent game was a 49-3 victory over the Stormers last weekend and big news for the Lions is that injured skipper, Alun Wyn Jones returned to action in that game and will lead the side in the 1st Test.

TEAMS

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 19 Frans Malherbe, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Damian Willemse

British and Irish Lions: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Ali Price, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Wyn Jones.

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Tadhg Beirne, 20 Hamish Watson, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Liam Williams

South Africa 21/20

Draw 25/1

British & Irish Lions 9/10

Handicap: South Africa (+0.5) at 9/10, British & Irish Lions (-0.5) at 9/10

Suggested Bet: Under 41.5 points at 9/10

There should be very little between these sides and I expect a very tight and something along the lines of a 17-13 score line which we saw in the SA “A” game v the Lions is quite possible.

I am battling to pick a winner of the Test at this stage, but one angle you may want to consider if you have a fancy is the Winning Margin of 12 points or less. The British Lions can be backed in this market at 17/10 and the Springboks at 19/10. I would be surprised were either team to run away with it.

There is also a double your money promo running should you back one of the sides to win and they score in the 1st 5 minutes going on to win the game – T&Cs apply