Who do you think is the best rugby team in the world at the moment?

Question

Please try not to be biast towards your own country/team and include reasons.

Answer 1

This is a hard question because at the moment it's Springboks but most of the time it's the All Blacks sometimes even after they lose a few matches people still rate them as the best.

The All Blacks just finish thrashing Ireland, England and the 1st match against the Springboks but with everyone leaving our shores to go up north I'd have to say the Springboks are the best than maybe the All Blacks closely followed by the Wallabies.

Answer 2

Springboks, just about. Hopefully with a new coaching team and some new players coming through, Ireland can make a decent attempt in the Six Nations. That said, Southern Hemisphere teams are miles ahead of the North.

Answer 3

i dont put australias performance against france in good stead. not when you have that cracker of a game we had between the all blacks and the springboks.

until we see the roos against either the blacks or the boks, we really cant say.

impressive though the boks perfomance was id give the edge to the blacks. they were far more dangerous in all aspects of play. we, south africa, won the game with our stingy defense (and we played a lot of defense. did you see the stats on tackles?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?) and opportunistic but brilliant tries. and more ominously, we just barely won against a team that had a lot of new faces on it. there were so many near misses and near breaks that a more cohesive all back team would have capitalised on.

definitely the All Blacks.

Answer 4

like most of the kiwis that have replied to this, i'd love to be able to say the all blacks, but i feel it's the springboks atm. we'll see after tonight.

Answer 5

well the springboks beat NZ in their own back yard 4 the 1st time in 10 years so i guess that would make them the best team @ the moment, i think whoever wins the ri-nations will b considered the best

Answer 6

Good question lol I can't help but be bias but define the best rugby team? a team that wins the world cup or is it consistent wining rugby team? I have to say ALL BLACKS because they are still the team to beat, everyone wants to beat them, and celebrate like they won the cup lol and respected everywhere...

Answer 7

Id have to say a full strenght AB team is best,  SA dominated the breakdown, where I feel they won the game.  We missed Richie, best player in the world in his position and at the break down.  Also our line out suffered with our 2 first choice locks missing.  I realise SA was missing a few key players aswell, but feel we still stronger, will be extremely hard to beat a very good bok team in SA.   Well done to them for the win, look forward to the next game

Go AB's

Answer 8

I think it swings in a big way from season to season.  I'm really impressed with the Springboks right now, they're strong, fit and have the amazing depth we (NZ) used to have before everyone left.

In my opinion, the northern hemisphere teams aren't as good as the southern hemisphere teams.  If you want to use the world cup as a measurement, there is one up there and the rest down here.  If you want to use head-to-head matches, look at the tours that had finished just before the Tri Nations.

I'd give the #1 spot to the Springboks.

Answer 9

South africa at the moment as they are ranked number 1 from winning the RWC,

but nz a well as the have the highest number of wins.

nz has 74% of win percentage comapared to South africa which has 56%

i hate to admit it...but we we cant seem to keep it together in the RWC.which pisses me off **** loads becuase our win percentage shows we can win and it annoys me we cant keep that up in big comps.

NZ has a very strong team mentality...its a great honor to play in the all blacks. so you want to make sure that you contine to play in the best team..hence the urge to win is very strong....to lose in a big match like RWC it shakes the whole team...especily the quarter final agaist france...i thought they would give us a run for our $$$..but i never saw them winning

Answer 10

As a Kiwi, the first inkling is to say the AB's but at the moment I think the Sprinboks are the best.

I think they are benefitting from the experience of their forward pack which has remained relatively unchanged through the World Cup till now.

Both NZ & Australia are settling in new younger players which I see as being very beneficial for both countries over the next two to three years.

South Africa's big test will come when they start to have to replace the older brigade.

I believe, on current form, that the three main southern hemisphere teams are ahead and that South Africa are at No 1.

Answer 11

All Blacks have the ranking however they have suffered some significant personnel losses in the off season.  They have also just lost to the Springboks.  So it might be interesting to see how they go for the rest of the Test season.

Answer 12

To date i thought the the spring bok is the ranking champions but because of their down fall to the all blacks i rate the all blacks as no1 even though the spring bok won last week they were playing catch up rugby abs 1 sping bok 1. They came with their best team to play the abs the question is has the abs put their best team on the field in the second test?.

Answer 13

South Africa!! they are the world cup holders so that makes them the best team in the world, until it gets taken off them. It doesn't matter that they'll lose games now and then, at the end of the day they are still the 'World Champions' bring it on 2011, when the AB's will be the next 'World Champions'.

Answer 14

The Allblacks are the best and have the best players in most key positions.

They Wallabies are good and with a great coach they would be second for me.

The Bokkes - Well they are definitely the cleanest rugby team in they world, full of worthy role models and fair playing individuals, in fact, they are probably the most consistently fair and honorable team in any sport in the world.

Answer 15

Too early in the TriNations to tell....I'd base my decision on who wins this competition....I think the Southern teams are better than the Northern teams....

I'd say the South Africans are looking good...but so are NZ even though they lost last weekend...so I'll reserve judgment to see who wins the TriNations....

Australia hasn't played a TriNation game so they maybe in the mix yet.

Answer 16

The winner of the tri nations will be the best team - it has enough games to make it a well rounded competition. Unfortunately not like a world cup. The problem with the World cup is that it is a fine line between success and failure and sorry I don't accept that the best teams have the temperament to win every game - all teams lose important matches. So yes I do believe in an element of luck and I do think there is fine line between success and failure. That's why in a proper tournament ie. tri-nations and six nations you have to accept that the team that wins it has played enough games to take that luck element out of the equation. You only have to look at the great success of the English Premiership to realise that non knock out tournaments bring out the best teams. After all when does a person from NZ, England, SA, Australia, France etc ever say this game doesn't matter - I know I never do.

I have a feeling that SA may be the best at the moment however there is Australia tonight and the return of McCaw, Williams and Thorne.

I still like the fact that I can say I support the team with the best record in Rugby - stay proud.

Answer 17

Probably the Springboks by a nose just ahead of the All Blacks. Its hard to know. The All Blacks have played a greater number of hard games than the Springboks but the leadup to the Tri Nations The Springboks overhauled a Welsh Team smarting themselves as the current Grand Slam winners. The Tri Nations willinevitably decide who are the current no in the world.

Answer 18

Right now S.A are on ranking points only.The world cup would count if they beat the all blacks to win it, They are 1 all in meetings this year so it would come down to the S.A leg of the tri nations although S.A were lucky to win last week also.

Answer 19

Lets be frank with this Q. No beating around the bush. Lets take emotion out of the equation and look at the 3 best teams to put on rugby boots on current form.

1. Springboks

2. All Blacks

3. Wallabies.

Anyone want to argue with me?

Answer 20

With all top players available and everyone focussed the AB's by a long chalk. Pitching half experienced players in against the the Dingos and Boks it is a lottery and anyone could end up top dog. The AB's backs given some decent share of the lineout ball and the overall commitment like the first test it is a no brainer. While the lineouts are like they have been for the past two seasons tend to favour the Boks.

Answer 21

The Springboks beat an All Blacks team that was the weakest it's fielded in at least ten years 30-28. So to say which club is the best ...at this moment the Springboks just barely but overall the ABs are by far the superior team in Rugby. When I was in Victoria, B.C. 20 years ago and working out with a couple of the Cdn Rugby squad players they were amazingly talented SA players who were Cdn citizens but the team itself had no chemistry ... no gel. The Springboks used a squad of fairly talented players who gelled well together to beat the All Black squad. Mental toughness has to go to the Spring for that match up anyway. European & North American Rugby is amateur in comparison to the All Blacks.

Answer 22

The Bokke at the moment.

ABs lack multi point leadership, depth and experience compared to RSA, but I'm sure that by the end of this year, the ABs will hold the number one spot again.

Will be interesting to see how the Aussies measure up, but clearly no other team in the world touchs the tri-nation teams at the moment.

Edit: Forget the WC, this is now, this is ELVs, this is the best  three in the world going head to head. The best team in the world at the moment will win the tri-nations championship - for the simple fact that the must play the other best two teams - great tournament!

Answer 23

I'd say France. Not the second string stuff they sent to australia..the real france..that stayed home and played in the league final.

Awesome team.

Answer 24

THE USA EAGLES!!!!! http://youtube.com/watch?v=8Lb953XHQSc

Answer 25

I think any of the 3 southern hemisphere teams could be the best team in the world.Too close to call so lets see who wins the tri nations.

I hope its the All Blacks

Answer 26

I'd say South Africa, the are the current world champions, and have beaten New Zealand at the House of Pain, they must be the best team currently.

Answer 27

Let the record reflect:

Springboks: Years remaining as World Cup champions: 3

Springboks: Years without victory at Carisbrook: 0

Springboks: Years without a victory in New Zealand: 0

All Blacks’ unbeaten streak: 0

All Black years since a World Cup: 21

Springbok years since a World Cup: 0

All Black World Cups: 1 out of 6 (17%, rounded up)

Springbok World Cups: 2 out of 4 (50%)

IRB World Ranking:

1 - Springboks – 91.37 points

2 - All Blacks – 89.23 points

Courtesy : Front Row Grunt

http://sportblogs.24.com/

Answer 28

With a full strength team, the ALL Blacks are.  

I was very surprised that the springboks could not capitalise fully on the fact that we had two very inexperienced locks and Richie McCaw was not there.  If the boks were the best team, then they should have creamed us when Ali went off, yet they couldn't.   They were playing against inexperienced forwards.  Also northern hemisphere teams are in no way the same class as southern teams.  Ex all blacks who play there, say that the game in Europe is very slow and it's not all rough and tumble.

Answer 29

Its really hard to say right now but i think after the tri nations we should have a fair idea whos ruling the roost for 2008

I would say that the spring boks have a very slim lead on the other teams but the all blacks will be looking for revenge in cape down and you can never count out the aussies

Answer 30

In the absence of an international competition in which all teams are participating, I do not think that any answer based on selective games against selective opponents can be considered a reasonable indicator of ascendancy. But even this is flawed. New Zealand have not won the RWC since 1987 but have been, and indeed are, clearly better than that.

Whilst Southern Hemisphere teams have been in the ascendancy of late, which one of Australia, South Africa or New Zealand can really lay claim to being the best rugby team in the world? Which is why we have world rankings - compiled as a weighted average over a period of time and reasonably broad spread of opponents.

On this basis alone, flawed as it may be, South Africa would be in the box seat. But only just.

Additional details:

Kait - I agree totally that NH teams are currently off the pace! My reply was not intended to indicate otherwise. But SA are current RWC champions and having regained no 1 World Ranking away from home is a reflection of their mental fortitude. They are No 1 at the moment but, as I suggest, only just!

Answer 31

I think South Africa is the best team in the world by quite a long way.They have very strong forwards and some creative and defensively sound backs.

The northern hemiphere teams are way off the pace and have been for years. Only the rules that stop the game from flowing have saved them over the last few years.