Ranking the 5 Strongest Packs in World Rugby Right Now

The world rugby hierarchy is ultimately decided upon which teams succeed based on the sum of all their parts, but some outfits take a particular pride in their pack.

No. 1 through 8 don't dictate results independently, but with the Six Nations now settled and the Rugby World Cup creeping within sight, we have a better idea of which forward setups currently look most domineering.

Only one club pack has been deemed fit to contend with the international big guns, with depth in resources, average quality in all positions and first-team strength being the most pivotal factors accounted for.

5. South Africa

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Heyneke Meyer's side may suffer slightly based on the fact we haven't seen them in action since the November series, but South Africa still hold enough reputation to make their way onto our list.

The Springboks are no longer the same pack superpower of years gone by, but their dedication to perfecting this aspect of rugby and the stars who operate that strategy remain among the best on the globe.

Du Plessis brothers Bismarck and Jannie help make up one of the most fearsome front rows in the world alongside Tendai Mtawarira, while Eben Etzebeth is ready to step into the shoes of Bakkies Botha at lock.

A back-row combination of Willem Alberts, Francois Louw and Duane Vermeulen can duel with the best in the world, but Meyer's main concern may be a drop-off in standards from his XV to the bench.

4. England

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A slew of injuries leading into the Six Nations caused doubt in Stuart Lancaster's camp, but the tournament succeeded in unearthing a new sense of depth among England's forwards.

Despite the absences of Ben Morgan, Alex Corbisiero, David Wilson, Tom Wood, Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes for much of the competition, England's pack still managed to thrive as one of the best among Europe's titans.

The second row in particular showed itself to be stacked with options. Dave Attwood, George Kruis and Graham Kitchener stood in, while James Haskell added another bright dimension at flanker.

With Lawes calling the shots at the line-out, Lancaster's side look daunting in set-piece tactics, and Chris Robshaw leads a capable assault in the loose.

3. Toulon

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Toulon's pack have the honour of being the only club lineup able to make it into the reckoning, having opened their wallets to assemble a star-studded cast at the Stade Mayol in recent years.

With a fully fit squad, Toulon can put together a pack of extreme quality and experience replete with internationally capped components, many of whom originate from the Southern Hemisphere.

Once upon a time, Toulon made a habit of capturing stars past their prime, but the acquisition of talismanic players like Steffon Armitage, Juan Smith and Mamuka Gorgodze has shown the team is focusing more attention on the future.

Perhaps Toulon's greatest strength in the pack is the options they offer in each position. Bernard Laporte's wisdom certainly offers some added munitions for the Top 14 giants, but even a lesser coach could be capable of turning such a magnificent array of players into a superpower.

The French titans have a XV that could undoubtedly duel with some of the world's national lineups, with the forwards having laid the foundation for back-to-back European titles in the past two seasons.

2. Ireland

Ireland claimed this year's Six Nations title by embodying the team mentality in every sense. They exhibit no particular strength among their forwards or backs but succeed on the back of a healthy standard across the squad.

That being said, forwards coach Simon Easterby has the pleasure of picking from a long line of Pro12 stars and is able to back up each position with another top-class alternative from the provinces.

And that's been perhaps the greatest input from Joe Schmidt since arriving at Ireland's helm. While a veteran like Paul O'Connell may be nearing retirement, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy and Tommy O'Donnell are emerging as part of the team's next generation.

The Irish maul remains a revered phenomenon in world rugby, and while Ireland's backs struggled for fluidity during the Six Nations, their disciplined forward pack remained consistent throughout.

Ireland benefit from a greater cohesion on the club scene due to their limited selection pool, and it shows in the ease with which they're able to orchestrate moves from the set piece.

1. New Zealand

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New Zealand remain hot favourites to seal back-to-back World Cup titles later this year, and it's in no small part thanks to incredible quality throughout Steve Hansen's lineup.

Brodie Retallick was elected 2014 World Player of the Year as the most recognised star among Hansen's ranks, but he is just one of the All Blacks' new wave of superstars.

Sam Cane looks ready to take on Richie McCaw's mantle when the legend finally announced his retirement, while Kieran Read remains arguably the greatest No. 8 in the world.

Some may debate the All Blacks' front-row selection isn't up to par with the rest of their pack, with Franks brothers Ben and Owen arguably inferior to some prop combinations elsewhere in international rugby.

That being said, having just two defeats since the 2011 Rugby World Cup suggests New Zealand remain in contention for title of the world's best team, with the forward pack not far behind the quality of Hansen's world-class back line.