Bookies: Boks TN3 favourites

Garrin Lambley

Cape Town - Bookmakers have installed the Springboks as marginal favourites to win this year's Tri-Nations, starting on July 10.

Leading SA bookies, GreatOdds, have the Boks on offer at 5/4 while New Zealand can be backed at 4/3.

Australia are "favourites" for the wooden spoon at 4/1.

The Boks open the defence of their title against the All Blacks in Auckland before the two bitter rivals do battle in Wellington the following weekend.

South Africa's home fixtures are against New Zealand in Johannesburg and against the Wallabies in Pretoria and Bloemfontein.

Tri-Nations schedule:

July:
10 New Zealand v South Africa Eden Park Stadium, Auckland 09:35
17 New Zealand v South Africa Westpac Stadium, Wellington 09:35
24 Australia v South Africa Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane 12:00
31 Australia v New Zealand Melbourne 12:00

August:
7 New Zealand v Australia Christchurch 09:35
21 South Africa v New Zealand Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg 17:00
28 South Africa v Australia Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 17:00

September:
4 South Africa v Australia Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein 17:00
11 Australia v New Zealand Telstra Stadium, Sydney 12:00

Past Tri-Nations winners:

1996 - New Zealand
1997 - New Zealand
1998 - South Africa
1999 - New Zealand
2000 - Australia
2001 - Australia
2002 - New Zealand
2003 - New Zealand
2004 - South Africa
2005 - New Zealand
2006 - New Zealand
2007 - New Zealand
2008 - New Zealand
2009 - South Africa