With the 2027 World Cup a year out, The Guardian has run the rule over all 24 competing nations. The Springboks sit at the top despite losing to Australia last weekend — the piece points to the bench-driven comeback as evidence of their depth, and frames the 3-1 series win over New Zealand as the result that really mattered this year. The full rankings cover the hosts, France, the All Blacks, England and the rest of the field, making it a useful pre-tournament temperature check on where every contender actually stands.
AnalysisSpringboksThe Guardian Rugby
World Cup 2027 power rankings: Boks lead, but how does the rest stack up?
The Guardian's pre-World Cup power rankings put the Boks at the summit despite the Australia defeat, citing their depth and the series win over the All Blacks as the defining evidence — the full piece ranks all 24 nations.
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Jean de Villiers acknowledges Hansen's logic but argues last year's results and performances make it hard to see the All Blacks closing the gap on the Boks — and the panel get genuinely animated over what a 2-2 series tiebreaker would even look like.