On the eve of the Autumn Internationals, a month of non-stop rugby, hemisphere versus hemisphere, it’s time to make our claims as to how these teams really stack up. Of course the dynamics of international rugby are constantly changing, however this is the one time in the annual calendar where all the top teams are playing at the same time and showcasing their strongest sides.
Usually this is the time of year where northern hemisphere pundits suggest that perhaps the European sides have overtaken their southern cousins, just for those suggestions to be unequivocally battered back by the big dogs down under. But perhaps this is the year that the South African and Kiwi dominance gets squashed? I somehow doubt it, but either way I can’t wait to find out.
But before these teams tell us who’s really the best, why don’t rank them from 1 through 12. As you’ll soon see, these are not the world rankings. These power rankings, I like to think, are much more accurate than World Rugby’s formula. So let’s debate it now and then come the end of the Autumn we can see if I’m smarter than an algorithm or not.
1 South Africa
The back-to-back World Cup winners, back-to-back Rugby Championship champions and 2021 Lions Tour victors are absolutely the team to beat right now. Under the leadership of Rassie Erasmus and Siya Kolisi this team has innovated and inspired, blending beauty with brutality, conquering every frontier rugby has to offer. The depth of this squad is the envy of world rugby and they have world class talent in every position.
Through all of this however they have a looming conundrum. The men who have won them the last two World Cups are now in their 30s and at some point their powers will wane. Rassie has been gradually preparing the new generation of Boks to take up the mantle, giving out six debuts so far in 2025. This is an ongoing process that doesn’t come without its risks and whilst they are blooding youngsters, they are also evolving a more expansive attack under Tony Brown. This team is not standing still, waiting to be overtaken by a younger, hungrier and more innovative nation. They are continuing to grow, in the hope that the next iteration of the Springboks can be even better than their all-conquering predecessors.
So can that happen? Can the Boks get even better? I’m not sure, but if they do, it’ll be the emergence of their uber talented new starboy fly-half, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, that leads the charge. Rugby’s most important position, fly-half, is perhaps the only spot the Springboks haven’t been truly world class at in recent years. If Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu can live up to the very real hype, then this team could rise to even greater heights. From what we’ve seen this year, we may not need to wait long to find out. For South Africa, the future could be now.
2 France
Shhh, come close, I’m going to say this very quietly… France are the best team in the world and have been for the last 5 years. Ok, so I’m going to need to explain this one. Since Fabian Galthie became the head coach of le XV de France, they’ve only had two 6 Nations triumphs, including 1 Grand Slam, and made a World Cup quarter final. Hardly best team in the world type results. However when you delve deeper and acknowledge the unconventional reality of French rugby, that the power of their club game means they only play their first choice team in the 6 Nations and Autumn Internationals, you start to see a different picture. Since 2020, the full strength French team has finished in the top 2 of the 6 Nations in 6 consecutive years, and hasn’t lost a single Autumn International fixture. Had the ball bounced differently in certain moments of that quarter final epic with the Springboks two years ago, this team would probably be World Champions.
Since January 2021, Dupont and Ntamack have played at half back together for France on 21 occasions. France won 18 of those games and their 3 losses include two games against Scotland where, in one Ntamack went off injured in the first 5 minutes, and in the other France had possession of the ball and the lead at the 80 minute mark before inexplicably trying to run the ball from 95 meters out and ended up losing. France have astonishing depth and are always a strong side. But when Dupont and Ntamack play together, France aren’t just good, they’re inevitable.
Even without Dupont this November, France are still an excellent team and their clash with the Springboks is utterly mouthwatering. If they can topple the Boks, the next edition of this list will have a new number 1.
3 New Zealand
The All Blacks at 3… imagine saying that to someone 10 years ago. But they’re still the All Blacks and they still have some of the best players on the planet. Just when we thought they had relinquished their mystical aura of invincibility, they made it to a World Cup final and probably would have won it had the 20 minute red card rule been in place then. Rule them out at your own peril. When they aren’t playing in Wellington, this team is right up there in the conversation for the world’s best. Led by their superstar number 8, Ardie Savea, the All Blacks have an ability to play at an intensity that can be utterly insatiable. In the most hyped game of 2025, the All Blacks flexed their muscles, beating the mighty Boks in Eden Park.
Known for their ability to cut teams open with slick, running rugby, the All Blacks game really starts with powerful ball carriers up front. Starting with one of the biggest sets of props around, they have a physicality that can match almost anyone. Over recent years the All Blacks performances have been more up and down than their usual dominant excellence. However when they have a big ball carrier in the 6 jersey, it feels more like the All Blacks of old. If they can get young gun Wallace Sititi firing alongside Savea in their backrow then they’ll be a scary side to face.
As they embark on a tour of the British Isles, the opportunity to claim a Grand Slam, beating all four home nations, beckons. For context, no Southern Hemisphere team has won one since 2010, and there have only been three won in the last 40 years (all by New Zealand). Should they pull off this impressive feat, then I may have to reevaluate if I have this team ranked too low. First up, our number 4 ranked side in Chicago on Halloween weekend. Will they be exorcising demons or reliving nightmares?
4 Ireland
They absolutely deserve to be number 4 in these rankings, based off the consistency and results they’ve produced in the last few years, but I have my concerns about this Irish team going forward. When you look at the age profile of their squad, the 2023 World Cup was their peak, and they have been on a gradual decline since then. To be clear, a gradual decline from a peak that high is still a pretty good spot to be in. But the trend is going in the wrong direction.
This Ireland team has some excellent players, as proven by the number of Lions they contributed this summer. However the strength of this side is that they are the most cohesive team in the world. The Irish system, in which Leinster dominates, has come under some scrutiny recently but you can’t ignore how successful it has been. When the majority of your international team all play and train together week in week out at club level, utilising almost identical play styles, you’re able to develop a playbook deeper than anyone else’s. Whilst other nations are coming together two weeks out from an international campaign and working out their standard attacking patterns, Andy Farrell’s men are long past that and are installing a 4th option for a goal line dropout strike move. However in this Autumn series that advantage is diminished by the fact their opposition have been playing together consistently since July. Ireland may also fall victim to the post-Lions Tour fatigue that can often affect players in the wildly over congested rugby calendar we currently have.
All in all, this is an excellent side, but I anticipate a more challenging November ahead than many expect. The big game comes right off the bat, with the All Blacks in Chicago. Win that and this Autumn will be an instant success, however a loss will inevitably lead to questions being asked about where this team is headed.
5 Australia
Australia are a hard one to rank and I recognise I’m higher on them than most people. I predicted them to beat the Lions this summer and whilst they didn’t quite manage it, I thought they showed us exactly where this team is at in that series. When they have all their best players available, and they actually pick them, this is a seriously dangerous team. However they really struggle for depth and when they pick up a couple injuries, which seems to be a perpetual reality, they go from good to average very quickly.
In Will Skelton, Taniela Tupou, Angus Bell and Rob Valetini, the Wallabies have some of the biggest, baddest ball carriers in the world. The first half of the 2nd Lions test was a perfect example of what this team can do. The ball hardly ever made it to flyhalf in that first 40, instead it was just massive blokes running hard, at speed off 9, and the Lions just simply couldn’t stop it. Rugby ultimately is a game of collisions and the Wallabies have the potential to dominate even the top teams in that area. But take a few of those big players out and this team can sometimes lack answers.
In the backs we’re seeing the start of what could be one of the most electric centre combinations in the game. Ikitau is a wonderful player, capable of doing anything and everything, whilst Sua’ali’i is one of the best talents ever. Not only is he a freakish athlete, he has the skill, rugby intelligence and attitude that makes me very confident in predicting him to become a top 10 global player. In Max Jorgensen, who’s only just turned 21, they have another exciting young player. However the loss elusive fullback Tom Wright to an ACL injury is a tough one for this side. He was a player that could break a game open and create something from nothing. Now it’s on the other players to step up and make those plays.
Sadly they will be without a number of their best players for the showdown with England in week 1. However the trip to Dublin will be the best acid test of where this Wallabies side it at.
6 England
Maybe I’m too low on England. I would totally understand someone putting them ahead of Australia and I’d even understand someone ranking them 4th ahead of Ireland. But I just like those two teams a little more right now and I still think the optimism around this England side needs to be proven this Autumn against my number 3 and 5 teams.
Following their incredible World Cup run in 2019, England were pretty poor for the proceeding four years. They always seemed capable of one great performance a year, but outside of that they underwhelmed. The cliché of England having a massive pack and a powerful scrum just didn’t apply and they lacked high end talent. In the last year however, things seem to have finally turned around and after finishing 2nd in the Six Nations, their best result in 5 years, the vibes are overwhelmingly positive. Hmm… just writing that makes me think something’s about to go wrong. England fans with sky high expectations can be a blessing and a curse for this team. Let’s hope Borthwick’s men can live up to it.
My concern around them is that whilst they won four of their five games in the Six Nations, they were outplayed by Ireland, France and Scotland. Only looking the better side against Wales and Italy. Had it not been for missed kicks and dropped balls, this team could have finished 4th with two wins from five, and a totally different narrative.
But ultimately winning is a habit and it’s the only thing that matters. In their last four games, including an impressive tour to Argentina in July, this England team has played with a fluidity and accuracy that has given their fans real hope. The appointment of Lee Blackett as their attacking guru is an exciting prospect as they get ready for the next world cup. In Alex Mitchell they’ve finally found a high-quality heir to Ben Youngs, and their flyhalf stocks are the envy of world rugby, even if it does mean making some very hard selection decisions. Winger was recently a problem position for England, however now the trio of Freeman, Feyi-Waboso and Roebuck have turned one of the hardest positions in the modern game into a strength. For the first time in a while the pack is looking like it has the power to match up with the best, led by the superhuman Lions skipper, Maro Itoje.
I feel with this England side there is a tonne to get excited about and you can absolutely see them being one of the main contenders come the 2027 World Cup. Although at the same time they still have much to prove. Their Autumn campaign will teach us a lot about this team. Are England the real deal? Or are they still a work in progress? Only time will tell.
8 Scotland
There’s a strong argument to be had that Scotland should be higher. They are right in the middle of a golden generation of superstar backs although they still need something really tangible to show for it. The Calcutta Cups are great but they’ve become accustomed to that and now need something more. The 6 Nations is of course a target but as they look ahead to this November window, the clash with the All Blacks has to be their main focus. Scotland have never beaten the Kiwis, however now you feel they really have the talent within their side to change that.
With Lions tourists in every position across the backline, this Scotland side can be electric to watch. Finn Russell is one of the best players on the planet and the combination with Ben White inside, and the “Huwipulotu” centre partnership outside, regularly tears defences apart. White was a standout player after getting a late Lions call up and arguably played the best rugby of any 9 on that tour. Sione Tuipulotu is as good as any 12 in the world, threatening defences as he takes the ball flat to the line with the ability to carry, pop, pull back or even kick. With Huw Jones running perfectly timed lines outside him, Scotland ask so many questions of any defence they go up against.
They’re a brilliant attacking side, and their forward pack has stepped up in recent years to support their star-studded backs. There’s a physicality and strength about the lads up front that has long been missing in Scottish rugby. Defensively they’ve been excellent too under Steve Tandy’s stewardship. However with their defence coach having now left to take the Wales job, the big focus this Autumn will be whether they can keep up their performances in that area.
Scotland are good, but until they start consistently beating top 6 teams, they can’t be seen as great. The 6 Nations is always the focus for this side but they have an opportunity to do something special when the All Blacks visit Murrayfield. Their players really stepped up and played well on the Lions Tour. I hope that can be the springboard for this team to take the big next steps.
8 Argentina
Argentina, the giant slayers. Over the past couple seasons this team have had a number of statement victories, beating all three of their Rugby Championship rivals last year and adding victories over New Zealand and Australia this season. When you consider that Argentina don’t have a single topflight professional rugby club in their country, it’s incredible what this team has achieved. However, littered across the best clubs in Europe you will find extremely talented Argentinian players. They have some seriously good players, especially in the backline with the likes of Chocobares, Carreras and Mallia. On the counterattack this team is deadly, as the Lions found out in Dublin this summer with some scintillating long range tries propelling Argentina to another famous victory.
Whilst the historical reputation of Argentinian rugby is of monstrous scrummagers and a powerful pack of beef-eating bruisers, the reality is that the front 5 is probably the area holding this team back the most. Hardly weak up front, they just can’t quite match the biggest packs to be able to consistently compete against the top teams. They have a number of athletic, marauding back rowers to complement their electric backs, however a strong front 5 is what creates real consistency for teams.
With fixtures against Wales, Scotland and England this Autumn, one win feels a minimum requirement and two would show some real growth from this team. They seem to have found a level over the last year or two, where they can beat anyone on their day but aren’t consistent enough to be viewed as a top 6 team. If they can notch some away wins against the likes of Scotland and England then perhaps we will have to start viewing Los Pumas differently. The Rugby Championship is a very tough competition and quite frankly winning 2 or 3 games against that calibre of opposition is pretty good. If they can add a winning record in the November International window then it will show good progress for this team, halfway through a World Cup cycle.
9 Wales
Surely, surely Welsh rugby has bottomed out. This has to be the low, right? 18 losses in a row, firing your best ever coach and cutting a region, all in the space of 10 months. Things have to get better, surely.
One thing we’ve all learnt through this saga of perpetual misfortune and disappointment is that just when you think things can’t get any worse, Welsh rugby can always find a way to show you they very much can. But, and I admit I’ve said this a few times over the last couple years, I do believe Welsh fortunes are about to change. This is still the most successful country in the 6 Nations era and don’t for a minute think Wales has just stopped producing talent.
I actually think there’s a lot of talent in Wales and has been for a few years. The challenge they’ve had is that most of it is under the age of 24 and has been thrown into the deep end of 6 Nations encounters whilst still learning the ropes and developing physically. Most successful teams have a core group of players that really drive the side over time, setting the tone and identity. Wales need to find that core group and then they need to step up and deliver. In Dewi Lake, Dafydd Jenkins and Jac Morgan they have three high quality young players, at each level of the scrum that can form the core a pack that can take them to the next two World Cups. Supplement them with experience in the likes of Nicky Smith, Adam Beard, Aaron Wainwright and Taulupe Faletau, and Wales can have a very competitive pack pretty quickly.
Behind the scrum, Tomos Williams is vital, and in the back three they have tonne of talent with the return of prodigal son Louis Rees-Zammit joining a young group that showed a lot of promise last year. The key for Wales is settling on a midfield. Dan Edwards seems the heir apparent to the famous 10 jersey, but the 22 year old is still learning the ropes at this level. In the centres they have plenty of exciting young options, but sometimes too much choice can be a hindrance. In an ideal world you’d have two nailed on starters in the center, playing every week in perfect harmony, think Roberts and Davies. Until someone can step up and make those 12 and 13 jerseys their own, Wales will struggle to establish a clear identity.
And now we come to the big one, head coach Steve Tandy. So far I’ve been very impressed with everything I’ve heard from the new man at the helm. Talk of leaning into some of the characteristics that define Welsh players, namely toughness, is exactly what I think this team needs. Having built a formidable defence with Scotland, if he can do the same with this Wales side it’ll go a long way to bringing them back to competing with the game’s elite. Matt Sherratt on the attacking side should complement Tandy well, getting Wales playing a more expansive style of rugby. There’s been a lot of talk about the lack of power in this Welsh team, but power is size x speed. If Sherratt can get this team playing at speed, creating deception and attacking soft shoulders, then this side will look a lot more powerful.
Success this Autumn would be 2 wins from 4 and, as Tandy has expressed, establishing an identity. I do expect this Wales team to turn things around and ascend to being a top 6 or 7 side come the next World Cup. It’s just too good a rugby nation to be held back this long. Although it may take time. But don’t forget, this Wales team is on a one game win streak!
10 Italy
I know they’ve beaten my number 9 ranked Wales in back-to-back years but Italy need to prove the ceiling for this team is higher than what we’ve currently seen to climb up these rankings. After a really encouraging 2024 6 Nations, in which Italy were a kick away from winning 3 games, they failed to back up that performance this year, finishing 5th again and shipping 73 points to France. What I found most disappointing about their recent 6 Nations is that I genuinely believe Italy could be really good very soon. They’re starting to see the investment they have put into their pathways come to fruition producing some really talented players over the past few years. They have an exciting young team with more talent coming through the pipelines from some strong recent U20s teams. However at some point you need to stop feeling positive about the future and start winning in the present.
Italy have come on a long way recently, even if it doesn’t always feel like it, you just want to see more consistency and that ability to take the next step. The strength of this team lies behind the scrum, with Brex and Menoncello forming one of the most deadly centre combinations around, excellent in both defence and attack. Menoncello in particular is a superstar. In 2024 he won the 6 Nations player of the tournament at just 21 years old. 18 months later and you feel he’s still only just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s athletically just better than everyone else, combining superhuman strength with speed and power. If Italy can get the best out of their young star, it will go a long way to getting this Italian attack flowing.
Their pack is better than it has been for a while and there are some very powerful young prospects waiting in the wings. Although I fear the might of the South African pack may be too much for Italy this Autumn. They instead should really target taking a scalp against Australia in their opening match. They beat the Wallabies 3 years ago, can they do it again?
11 Fiji
And now we come to everyone’s 2nd favourite team. Fiji have always been a lovable underdog, playing wonderful running rugby, full of sidestepping, offloading and of course, massive collisions. This Pacific Island of under 1 million people has some of the world’s best rugby talent. Just switch on any Top 14 or Super Rugby game and you’ll Fijians flying around the pitch, tearing up trees. For so long their international programme has been underfunded and under supported, lacking consistent opportunities to unite, train and play together against the world’s best. However the introduction of Fijian Drua into Super Rugby has been a gamechanger. With a club full of Fijian talent, playing week in week out together against the top sides from New Zealand and Australia, Fiji have been able to build the backbone of their national side. On a side note, I think lack of topflight professional clubs is the biggest thing holding many tier 2 nations back from competing at rugby’s top table, but that’s another topic for another time.
So far since introducing the Drua, Fiji have been a success story, reaching a World Cup quarter final and beating England and Wales in Twickenham and Cardiff respectively over the past few years. With the core of their team playing together at the Drua, Fiji have developed a stronger game management and set piece, the areas of their game that top teams had traditionally targeted. In Caleb Muntz, for the first time in a long time, Fiji have a quality flyhalf pulling the strings, whilst they still maintain that stardust and ability to score from anywhere.
The Pacific Nations Cup champions face trips to Twickenham and Bordeaux this Autumn. That’s tough. Even if England and France use these games as opportunities to rotate their lineups, you’re still looking at facing two of Europe’s top teams. If Fiji can conjure up a win in one of those games it would be incredible and extremely popular amongst the rugby public. However just being competitive and keeping it close would be a decent result.
12 Japan
The Brave Blossoms rose to relevancy in world rugby with an incredible performance in their home World Cup in 2019, inspired by the historic victory against the Springboks four years earlier. In that World Cup, Japan beat Ireland and Scotland to top their group, playing some insatiable rugby in the process. Since then however, this team has seen a decline, with many of the players who created those incredible moments no longer playing. Since Eddie Jones took over, he’s gone younger, looking to build this team back up for another World Cup run. Focusing on the strengths of Japanese players, this team looks to play at high speed. Like really fast. When in full flow, watching this Japanese team can make you think you’ve accidently set your TV to x2 speed. To play this way though requires getting on the front foot and staying on the front foot. This can be hard for a side that naturally lacks the size and power of the bigger nations.
Ultimately this is the limitation of this Japanese side. Speed and skill can be top notch, but if you’re not winning collisions then rugby is a tough sport. There are only certain ways that Japan can win games and if teams shut those down, or drag them into an arm wrestle, then they can have some pretty humbling results. I do believe this team will grow and get stronger over the next few years. Eddie Jones has always been good at getting teams ready for World Cups. But right now they sit outside of the top tier of teams. They may claim the odd good result although I think this will be a testing November for Japan. South Africa and Ireland will have too much power and quality for them. The game against Wales, whom they beat in July, will be their best, and realistically only, chance to notch a victory. I personally would be surprised if they can pull that off but they’ll certainly back themselves.