New Zealand is taking on the world next week and will almost certainly win.
That's the view of the TAB in its opening book on the world shearing and woolhandling championships which get under way in Masterton on Wednesday.
In head-to-head New Zealand v The World betting on the machine-shearing teams event, Kiwi shearers Cam Ferguson and John Kirkpatrick are rated $1.05 hot favourites to give New Zealand a third consecutive win when the final is held on Saturday, March 3.
The World (any other country) is quoted at $8.
Sports book-maker Kieran McAnulty said a separate book would also be opened with odds on each country.