Rugby World Cup power rankings
Tier one – true contenders:
1. France (↔️)
There remains reasonably little to choose between the top four sides in the world, but France produced the goods on the opening night against New Zealand, surviving a slightly sloppy showing to emerge reasonably conclusive winners. They will be hard to stop with the home crowd behind them, though injuries continue to threaten to throw the hosts off course.
2. South Africa (↔️)
An excellent defensive performance to open the tournament for the defending champions, shutting down Finn Russell and the rest of Scotland’s dancers. There’s real stylistic clarity evident in Jacques Nienaber’s side, particularly with Siya Kolisi back fit, while Manie Libbok is settling in nicely at 10 to add extra attacking potential to the backline. Fatigue could yet be an issue – the Springboks’ players have been juggling northern hemisphere club schedules with southern hemisphere international involvements for the last couple of years – but Nienaber has plenty of depth in his 33.
3. Ireland (↔️)
An almost seamless slipping back into the Ireland side from Johnny Sexton after suspension to put an overmatched Romania away. A smattering of missed opportunities but a sizeable final scoreline – but the sterner stuff, obviously, is still to come.
4. New Zealand (↔️)
A magnificent start but it never quite happened thereafter for the All Blacks in the opener, with Jordie Barrett, Shannon Frizell and Sam Cane all missed. Building momentum through their remaining pool fixtures may be key before the quarter-finals.
Tier two – best of the rest:
5. Scotland (↔️)
It always looked a tough start for Scotland, and their failure to get their attacking game clicking left their forwards with too much to do against the mighty Springboks pack. Gregor Townsend’s side will retool, reload and target their meeting with Ireland on Saturday 7 October.
Tier three – more questions than answers:
6. Australia (⬆️1)
The Wallabies secured their first win under Eddie Jones against Georgia and it was a performance that will have encouraged the head coach. Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou look a potent pair on the tighthead side of the scrum and Ben Donaldson’s composed showing at full back deepens Jones’ backline options.
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7. England (⬆️2)
At last, England found a performance to be proud of at the Stade Velodrome. The time for tries will come but George Ford showed calm and command to take control of the encounter after Tom Curry’s sending off and the Kevin Sinfield-drilled defence was dramatically improved.
8. Wales (⬆️2)
By the skin of their teeth, Wales clung on for a vital win against Fiji, with a tireless defensive effort just about holding firm at the last to make their route to the last-eight much, much easier. Can it be a springboard to more tournament success?
9. Fiji (⬇️1)
Fiji were narrowly beaten by Wales
Oh, Fiji. So close and yet so far on a glorious night of rugby in Bordeaux. Simon Raiwalui will rue Semi Radradra’s knock on and, perhaps, the officiating, but a few errors left the Pacific Islanders with too much to do late on. Fly half Caleb Muntz’s tournament-ending injury before the opening game was a major blow.
10. Argentina (⬇️4)
An overreaction to one defeat? Perhaps, but Argentina were so far removed from their best in Marseille, surprisingly short of thought and intensity against England’s 14 men. Michael Cheika cut a frustrated figure at full-time – work to be done to avoid a pool stage exit.
11. Samoa (↔️)
Yet to get their tournament underway, but perhaps no side has been more improved by the changes to World Rugby’s eligibility rules than Samoa, with Steven Luatua and Lima Sopoaga, among others, adding class and calm. The Pacific Islanders are well coached by Seilala Mapusua and quietly have assembled one of the more complete squads in the tournament – if they can gel fully and avoid injuries to a few key individuals, don’t rule out Samoa challenging for a last-eight place.
12. Italy (↔️)
An imperfect performance against Namibia in the St Etienne heat, but five tournament points leave Italy top of Pool A, with a good chance of another bonus-point victory in their next encounter with Uruguay. Stunning France or New Zealand still might prove a step beyond Kieran Crowley’s side.
13. Georgia (↔️)
A few glimpses of why Georgia will be a Pool C threat in defeat to Australia in Paris. The win in Cardiff and besting of Italy last year have raised Georgian hopes of progressing out of their World Cup pool for the first time, but you fear that Fiji and Wales will also have a little bit too much for Los Lelos.
14. Japan (↔️)
Six tries in the end for Japan against Chile and a spot atop Pool D. The encounter with England in Nice will be a better gauge of whether Jamie Joseph’s side, on the brink of transition to a new era, have one last famous World Cup moment in them.
15. Tonga (↔️)
Another nation yet to feature, questions at fly half and in the front row will concern coach Toutai Kefu in such a tough pool. George Moala’s ban is a shame, too, though Pita Ahki, Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau still provide backline quality. With so much focus on South Africa, Scotland and Ireland’s battles with one another, Tonga could catch one of the trio off guard – but the extended time between fixtures means they are unlikely to have heavily rotated opposition to get after.
Tier five – development the key:
16. Uruguay (↔️)
There will be no easing into the tournament for Uruguay, who have France up first on Thursday 14 September. The return of star scrum half Santiago Arata is welcome news for a side that stunned Fiji in one of the games of the World Cup four years ago. Much of the squad that travelled to Japan are back for more and have enjoyed a productive period of warm-ups in which Esteban Meneses’s team went unbeaten. You fancy that the task will just be slightly too large against Italy, though. The 27 September meeting with Namibia in Lyon should be a lot of fun.
17. Portugal (↔️)
Portugal appear to be building nicely towards their first World Cup in 16 years, impressing against the USA and particularly Australia A. There’s talent aplenty in the squad of Os Lobos, with a young group of outside backs that could light up a fixture or two, though a win will probably be beyond them in Pool C.
Recommended
18. Chile (⬆️1)
This year’s only World Cup debutants have come a long way in a short space of time and showed as much against Japan with a vibrant performance to earn them a one-place bump in our rankings. As was true of several smaller rugby nations, Chile ran out of steam a little in the September swelter on a red-hot opening weekend.
19. Namibia (⬇️1)
Rather unfortunate to drop a spot after giving Italy plenty to think about before three late tries widened the final margin. The scrum is a concern but Allister Coetzee has his side well put together otherwise. Could a first-ever World Cup win arrive against Uruguay?
20. Romania (↔️)
Ireland were always likely to run up the score against Romania, with familiar defensive frailties carrying over from the Oaks’ summer business and allowing their top-ranked opponents too many easy linebreaks. That said, they had a dream start with an early try, scrambled well at times and Hinckley Vaovasa, not usually a fly half, had a promising afternoon at 10.
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