1
The two best teams in the world
The two best teams in the world are clearly France and Ireland and the latest rankings by World Rugby finally reflect that.
ADVERTISEMENT
France have been on the up since the last World Cup and currently sit on a 10 test winning streak, having claimed a Grand Slam Six Nations title earlier in the year.
Ireland’s 2-1 series win over New Zealand continued their great run, before that they had won 12 of their last 15 tests over a two-year period.
Two of their three losses were to France, while an early red card to Peter O’Mahony led to a close loss to Wales in Cardiff in the 2021 Six Nations. They have now won 14 of their last 18 tests, a touch below 80 per cent.
The France side that has defeated Ireland twice over the last two Six Nations is their antithesis when it comes to style.
They have the polar opposite game to Ireland and it worked to defeat them, albeit on both occasions by a small margin.
France kick the most out of the Six Nations sides, keeping the ball-in-hand the least. Yet, when they decide to play, they take the most risks. They offload more than any of their European rivals.
ADVERTISEMENT
France and Italy were the only sides to kick out-of-hand more than 30 times against Ireland this year. Wales (15), Scotland (25), and England (24) were all short of that mark and lost.
Ireland of course have the world’s best attacking patterns and play a ball-in-hand possession game, while kicking and offloading the least.
Despite the differences between Ireland and France, the consistency of results from these two teams is far beyond any other team right now, including the 2019 World Cup winners South Africa, who haven’t backed up the win in Japan with any sort of dominance to suggest they were ever the best team to begin with.
The Lions series was a decent start but taking results against the other top regarded sides (France, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and England), the Springboks were one from five against them at a 20 per cent win rate in 2021 after skipping out on 2020.
ADVERTISEMENT
They haven’t played Ireland since 2017 or France since 2018 so they sit in the dark about where they sit against the top two and their 20 per cent win rate against the other three isn’t pretty for a team that was crowned and trumpeted as the world’s best.
The Welsh were tough opponents in South Africa but ultimately they were the ninth-ranked team heading into the series and should have been swept 3-0. They nearly stole the first test and won the second, before finally a comprehensive Springbok win.
Considering how the Welsh sides played in South Africa during the United Rugby Championship, to lose one of the tests is remarkable, experimentation or not.
The expectation from inside South Africa from figures like former coach Nick Mallet, rightly assumed wins of 15 points or more from the first test.
The Boks are 60 per cent since the World Cup which is below the mark Ian Foster currently has with the All Blacks, 66 per cent, and the reaction from each country’s public and media couldn’t be more different.
The two sides will meet in South Africa where the home side finally have a chance to start prove themselves against the worst performing All Black side of the last 25 years.
The Springboks went one from four against New Zealand and Australia Down Under last year, qualified by the ‘we played away’ excuse.
In the Rassie Erasmus/Jacques Nienaber era, the Springboks have a 36 per cent win rate against their annual rivals, Australia and New Zealand, with just four wins from 11 tests since 2018. It’s hardly the mark of greatness.
There will never be a better time to put the All Blacks away, with back-to-back tests on home soil, to help improve that dire return.
The real challenge will be France and Ireland away at the end of the year, while they have also historically struggled in Australia. The least they can do is take the opportunity being handed to them right now with New Zealand.
England’s comeback to win the series in Australia was a significant achievement on their path back into the top five nations, highlighting the importance of the Saracens’ core with the return of Billy Vunipola.
With the barnstorming No 8 back in the mix, England were a completely different side and sparked into life in Brisbane. The breaking up of the Saracens core was detrimental to England and now it looks like it might have a second wind.
The way they played in the second test was the best they had played in almost two years, with new halfback Jack van Portfliet igniting their tempo on a dry surface helping England play a fast and accurate passing game.
Australia have still struggled without Quade Cooper available. They went on a five test win streak once he returned last year and then went winless on the end of year tour. Still, just four points separated England and Australia in the third and final test suggesting there was not much between the two sides.
France, despite a lesser series against Japan, still deserve to be considered the best side with the current run they are on. Ireland is in the same league and they are the top two sides in the world followed by the rest of the pack.
The Rugby Championship will sort out numbers three through five, with England there or thereabouts.
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to comments