Rugby World Cup 2015: Power Ranking All 20 Teams

Every team comes into this year's Rugby World Cup with different hopes, aspirations and expectations for what's to come over the next six weeks.

The World Rugby rankings offer some insight into which nations reign dominant in the global pecking order, but they don't always offer clarity on who is actually enjoying the best form.

Heading into the sport's premier tournament, we've ranked the 20 World Cup participants according to form, taking into account squad depth and rotation as well as the bare statistics of recent results.

To be clear, this isn't a ranking of simply who might beat whom if they were to meet today, but more a discussion of each team's current strength and standing based on what's been seen of late.

Read on to see where your country sits in our power rankings, and be sure to let us know who you think should be higher or lower in the forum below.

20. Uruguay

Uruguay have struggled in their preparations for the World Cup, having lost to Chile, Argentina, Georgia and Japan (twice) since beating Brazil 48-9 on Apr. 18 this year.

The South American minnows did register a victory against an Argentina XV last month, but they also lost to Fiji Warriors in two matches in May.

Uruguay sit 19th in the World Rugby rankings as things stand, but they have drawn the shortest of straws after being placed in Pool A alongside England, Wales, Fiji and Australia.

19. Namibia

The lowest-ranked team coming into the 2015 Rugby World Cup, world No. 20 Namibia are enjoying good form after winning this year's Africa Cup, the second year in succession they've clinched the continental title.

Of course, the competition doesn't include heavyweights South Africa, but an 80-6 drubbing of former World Cup contenders Zimbabwe last month will have Phil Davies' side in high spirits.

In fact, Namibia are on a four-match winning run after their pointless run at the Nations Cup earlier in 2015, including two convincing victories over Russia in July.

18. Romania

Andreea Alexandru/Associated Press

Romania were the only team who failed to surrender a try at this year's Nations Cup and managed to keep a perfect record against Argentina Jaguars, Spain and Namibia en route to tournament triumph.

This was the third time in four years the Bucharest hosts have won the Nations Cup, but the Europeans have still shown themselves to be lacking against more accomplished sides, losing to Georgia in March and, more recently, Tonga.

17. Canada

A 47-18 defeat at the hands of Fiji was hardly an ideal result for Canada coming into a World Cup, but the Maple Leafs did clinch a memorable 16-15 warm-up win against Georgia earlier in September.

It's been a difficult period for Kieran Crowley's side, too, after a couple of agonisingly close defeats to the United States and Samoa by just two points and one point, respectively.

The team has a handful of stars in Jamie Cudmore, DTH van der Merwe, Tyler Ardron and Jeff Hassler, but those figures haven't always been present in the run-up to the World Cup.

16. Georgia

Georgia may not be considered a jack of all trades, but if one was pushed to pick a craft they had seemingly mastered, it would have to be the scrum.

That's not to say their fine selection of props and the star influence of back-row captain Mamuka Gorgodze will be enough to claim success, though.

After all, the reigning European Nations Cup champions recently lost back-to-back games against Canada and Japan after initially starting their 2015 with a more commanding six-match winning streak.

15. United States

Kamil Krzaczynski/Associated Press

Despite winning two of their four matches at this year's Pacific Nations Cup, the United States only managed to score four tries in total, the lowest tally of any participating team.

Mike Tolkin's side were impressive enough to claim successive wins against rivals Canada earlier this summer, but a recent 47-10 trouncing at the hands of Australia exposed their gaping shortfall in elite pedigree.

14. Italy

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Azzurri fans might hope for Jacques Brunel's tenure as Italy coach to end on a high note, but the Frenchman seems destined for more misery after losing seven of his eight games in charge this year.

That sole victory came in the form of a 22-19 win against Scotland at the Six Nations, but the Italians have more recently been embarrassed by Wales and Scotland on two occasions, with one of those losses by a 41-point margin.

Italy deserve some credit compared to a host of Tier 2 nations in that they more regularly compete against rugby's elite, not that it's done them much good in 2015.

13. Japan

Like Georgia, Japan are a team who take a certain amount of pride in their scrummaging proficiency, and Eddie Jones will be hoping their current form is enough to help them mount a serious challenge in Pool C.

The Cherry Blossoms lost three games at the Pacific Nations Cup, but two of those were by margins of only a single try, and the Asian representatives have since gone on to win their last three games on the trot.

What's more, Japan conceded a total of just 18 points across those three victories against Uruguay (twice) and Georgia, showing some stern defending, and that may yet be considered a strength for the side.

12. Tonga

Christophe Ena/Associated Press

Tonga are perhaps seen as the smallest threat from the Pacific Islands after never managing to make it past the World Cup group stage, despite the fact their world ranking of 11th puts them above Samoa.

Opposing teams will underestimate Mana Otai's heavy-hitters at their own peril, too, when one considers they come to England having won their last four outings and finishing third at the Pacific Nations Cup, where they were unfortunate not to place higher.

11. Samoa

It's difficult to know what to expect of Samoa at this year's World Cup considering they haven't played together since the first week of August, but the talent needed to impress in England is evidently there.

BBC Sport's Mike Henson recently investigated just how fiercely the odds are stacked against Stephen Betham's side, who have a few genuine stars among their ranks the likes of Tim Nanai-Williams and Pisi brothers, Ken and George.

While it may have been a somewhat weakened New Zealand lineup, Samoa stood proud in a 16-25 defeat to the No. 1-ranked All Blacks back in July, and they have since finished second at the Pacific Nations Cup, undefeated in three of their last four outings.

10. Scotland

Peter Morrison/Associated Press

Scotland's 19-16 defeat to France earlier this month can be viewed in two ways; It's either a tight loss to a world-class opponent or just another example of the Scots being unable to contend at the top.

Coach Vern Cotter has undoubtedly made his improvements to the squad, but evolution counts for nothing in rugby unless major results come along with it. Scotland need those results to come at the World Cup.

Cotter's men recently beat Italy at home and away, but a 28-22 defeat to Ireland served as another example that the cream of the international crop still sit some distance in front.

9. Fiji

Their hopes of making it out of Pool A may appear slim, but Fiji showed their regional superiority by beating Samoa 39-29 in the final of the 2015 Pacific Nations Cup to claim a big pre-World Cup boost.

In fact, the Fijians haven't lost a game since last November's 17-13 defeat to Wales in Cardiff and demonstrated all their attacking might with a 47-18 demolition of Canada earlier in September.

8. Argentina

In line with their World Rugby ranking of eighth, Argentina come to the World Cup after recording one Rugby Championship win for the second year in succession, this time in South Africa's own backyard.

The power balance was re-established after the Springboks returned the favour with a 26-12 victory in Buenos Aires last month, but Daniel Hourcade's men are making strides once again.

7. South Africa

Granted, this year's shortened three-round Rugby Championship left the Springboks at a disadvantage, but 2015 was the first year in which South Africa have failed to win even a single match in the tournament.

As aforementioned, Heyneke Meyer's men earned some redemption for such major disappointment by beating Argentina in their nation's capital, but it serves as small consolation for a team out of sorts.

The greatest concern for South Africa is stamina; they were in commanding half-time positions against Australia and New Zealand at the Rugby Championship, only to capitulate later in each fixture.

6. Wales

Wales might have found their way higher up our rankings were it not for the crushing injuries sustained by Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb during the final warm-up win over Italy.

It's not an overstatement to say those two absences could very well impact whether Wales make it out of Pool A this year, but Warren Gatland will feel he has the reserves necessary to fight back and advance.

The Welsh do have a slight home advantage over some of their southern-hemisphere foes, and August's 16-10 win in Dublin went a long way in making up for their home defeat to the Irish earlier this summer.

5. France

Francois Mori/Associated Press

Into the top five and France are one of three northern-hemisphere sides making up the hierarchy thanks to their show of impressive form recently, including a vengeful win over England in Paris last month.

Les Bleus can be devastating so long as coach Philippe Saint-Andre gets his selection right, with the 2011 runners-up never to be underestimated when it comes to performing what seems like outside their means.

France have experienced their share of dismay this year after losing four of their 2015 outings, but it's worth noting the unique, end-to-end 55-35 defeat to England in the Six Nations was the only loss to come by a margin of more than seven points.

4. Ireland

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

There was a chance Ireland could have topped our power rankings were it not for a couple of questionable defeats to England and Wales of late, leaving a question mark over whether Joe Schmidt's men are ready to take New Zealand's crown.

It's been suggested Ireland are saving their very best—in terms of personnel and tactics—for the crunch clash against France on Oct. 11, but ex-England lock Ben Kay pointed out the flaws in that plan, per BBC Sport:

"

That's a risky strategy if you can't get the confidence. 

Because their first World Cup game is against Canada—they haven't performed particularly well—then Romania, Ireland probably have the easiest draw.

So they've got that build-up then they have a tougher game against Italy and the big one against France at the end. 

Speaking to people around the squad they are saying that their build-up has been slightly different in that they are looking to peak slightly later in the tournament.

"

Kay's right in that it is a risk for Schmidt, who clinched this year's Six Nations crown before the inconsistent preparation this summer.

It may end up paying dividends, but there are others among the international elite shown to be stronger of late.

3. Australia

Is there any team in world rugby right now whose performance is more difficult to predict than Australia?

Michael Cheika's men came into 2015 having shuffled their coach three times in the past two years, but a maiden Rugby Championship title has put the Wallabies in good stead for a World Cup challenge.

Admittedly, conceding the Bledisloe Cup to New Zealand with a 41-13 loss in Auckland was an embarrassment, but with World Cup priorities at stake, one can pin that loss on a weakened squad selection.

Australia are still far from certain to progress out of Pool A, but the potential is there to go on and win a third World Cup.

2. England

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Save for a five-point defeat to France in Paris, England couldn't have hoped for much better in their World Cup preparations, especially after soothing the blow of a missed Six Nations opportunity by beating Ireland 21-13 this month.

This is a very young squad Stuart Lancaster has assembled, containing just five players aged 30 or over, and 1991 World Cup runner-up Will Carling told ITV he doubts their chances of making it out of a tough Pool A.

That being said, the back-line has real superstar talent in the likes of Jonathan Joseph and George Ford, while the reserves among the pack run deep, and England are rightly being considered among the favourites for a home World Cup triumph.

1. New Zealand

Ross Setford/Associated Press

They might have sacrificed the Rugby Championship for the first time since its inauguration in 2012, but the All Blacks stormed back to retain the Bledisloe Cup thanks to a 41-13 battering of the Wallabies in August.

The 27-19 defeat to Australia in Sydney two weeks prior to that was New Zealand's only loss of 2015, but Steve Hansen's side haven't found themselves trailing in a game at half-time all year.

The All Blacks are currently ushering in a wave of emerging stars and will soon wave goodbye to a host of the old, but it speaks volumes of their strength that momentum has hardly been disrupted during such a transition.

All statistics come courtesy of ESPN Scrum.