Rugby: Jostling in the ranks ahead of Cup

Wallabies flanker Michael Hooper has formed a formidable loose forward partnership alongside David Pocock. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks hold No1 spot, but the rest are lining up to topple defending champs, reports Patrick McKendry.

1. New Zealand: 92.72 ranking points

The All Blacks' recent 27-19 defeat to Australia, in which they appeared by turns frantic, in control, overly predictable and finally, second best, sent a shiver of fear through many supporters. It was their first loss since the defeat to South Africa in Johannesburg last year and proved once again that they are susceptible to pressure (as any team is). It also proved how close the margins are among the higher echelons of international rugby. The All Blacks have the greatest depth in the world, and many of the best players in the world, but that in itself doesn't legislate against the occasional off night. It also probably put their World Cup draw under the spotlight once again. Argentina are a solid nation to meet first up, but Tonga, Georgia and Namibia aren't expected to put up much of a challenge. Can the All Blacks maintain their standards ahead of the sudden death matches on a diet of "minnows"?

2. Ireland (86.89)

International rugby's big movers. Ireland went from third to second after their recent comprehensive 35-21 victory over Wales in Cardiff and Kiwi coach Joe Schmidt is filling his team with not only quality but also self belief. It probably wouldn't do to read too much into Ireland's victory over the Welsh -- Schmidt and Wales counterpart Warren Gatland apparently had a mid-week telephone conversation before the test to discuss the strengths of their respective teams. But it's fair to say the result wasn't surprising. In Dublin in 2013, the Irish had a famous victory over the All Blacks snatched at the death by Ryan Crotty's try and they have been building nicely since -- they have a tough pack led by skipper and lock Paul O'Connell and navigated by experienced first-five Johnny Sexton. Six Nations champions Ireland have the twin threats of France and Italy in their pool, and should they come second in the group will play the winner of Pool C in Cardiff -- which might just be the All Blacks.

3. Australia (86.84)

The Wallabies, who went from fifth to third in the rankings after their victory over the All Blacks in Sydney, are in the so-called "pool of death" at the World Cup. England, Wales, Fiji and Uruguay will all present unique challenges but Michael Cheika's team proved at ANZ Stadium they have the quality to beat any team. Their much-maligned scrum has been overhauled with the help of former Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma, and they have excellent loose forwards in the form of David Pocock and Michael Hooper, and some outstanding outside backs in Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Tevita Kuridrani. One area of slight vulnerability might be their halfback/first-five pairing. Nick Phipps was ordinary against the All Blacks and Bernard Foley probably didn't instil much confidence, but they still got the result. In Cheika they have a coach prepared to back his players and he also appears reluctant to take any nonsense -- a valuable trait given the discipline problems that had dogged the squad over recent years.

4. England (85.40)

England are World Cup hopefuls on their home turf, but can they make it out of their pool? In Australia and Wales, England have quality opposition, and Fiji (ranked ninth in the world) -- who England play in the tournament opener -- are looming as a potential giant-killer, particularly if colossal Crusaders wing Nemani Nadolo plays. The English don't have midfielder Manu Tuilagi either after disciplinary issues led to his exclusion from the squad. Tuilagi, who was in trouble at the end of the last World Cup when he jumped from a ferry into the Waitemata Harbour, played a big part in his team beating the All Blacks at Twickenham in 2012. Elsewhere you know what you're going to get with England -- big, strong forwards and a backline happy to crash the ball up. It's not particularly pretty but it's effective, especially in high-stakes World Cup matches.

5. South Africa (84.37)

The Springboks are the biggest recent losers in international rugby. Their 37-25 defeat to Argentina in Durban at the weekend shocked the team and its supporters and also sent them from second in the rankings to fifth, the biggest recent fall among the top nations. With the close loss to the All Blacks in Johannesburg and then the Durban debacle, 2015 has been a rollercoaster ride for supporters of the Boks. With Samoa, Japan, Scotland and the USA in their World Cup pool, South Africa will be at short odds to finish their group on top. If so, they will play the runner-up in Pool A -- either Australia, England or Wales in a quarter-final. If successful, they could face the All Blacks in a semifinal. A week or so ago -- after their close loss to the All Blacks and with new midfielders Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel shining, their supporters would have approached the tournament with confidence. Not any more.

6. Wales (82.94)

Desperately unlucky at the last World Cup when they lost captain Sam Warburton to a red card for a spear tackle in the semifinal against France, Wales appear destined to come up short again.

Not only are they in the "pool of death", but their lead-up form is less than inspiring.

Their performance against the All Blacks last year at Millennium Stadium said much about Welsh rugby in modern times, too. They hung in there for three quarters of the match (thanks to a combination of time-wasting and attacking prowess), with the capacity crowd sensing a first victory over New Zealand since 1953, only to run out of puff -- the All Blacks scoring three tries in the final 10 minutes. One of the few nations with rugby as its national game, there is plenty of romance around the Welsh, but it's hard to see them delivering in October.

7. France (79.74)

For all of their World Cup heroics in upsetting other nations -- most notably New Zealand in 1999 and 2007 -- France are yet to win the thing. Ominously, perhaps, Argentina are close to overtaking them in seventh place on the rankings but, at the risk of dusting off an old cliche, France can be relied upon to provide as much news off the field as on, to upset one or two nations, and then to bow out in glorious failure. Their performance in the 2011 final at Eden Park -- when they united after a pool-match drubbing by the All Blacks and the usual off-field drama to almost emerge victorious -- was probably their high-tide mark over the past four years. Since then they have failed to win the Six Nations. And yet ... if they finish second in their pool they could face the All Blacks in a quarter-final in Cardiff -- just like in 2007 -- and we all know how that one went.

8. Argentina (79.17)

Los Pumas are clearly benefiting from their inclusion in the Rugby Championship alongside the All Blacks, Australia and South Africa. Having celebrated their first away win of the Championship last weekend against the Boks in Durban, Argentina will be full of belief heading into the World Cup, where they are likely to face either France or Ireland in a quarter-final. They pushed the All Blacks close in the 2011 quarter-final before the home side pulled away and could easily upset the French or the Irish this time. The Pumas' determination to develop their attacking game is clearly paying off, with wing Juan Imhoff scoring a hat-trick against the Boks and, as the All Blacks discovered recently in Christchurch, Argentina have a very dangerous lineout drive.

Steve Hansen calls it boring, but many South Americans might beg to differ.