3-0 (14pts, 1st in Pool C)
He's a funny bloke Steve Hansen. You only have to see his masterclass press conference on Sunday to see why he has the majority of the media eating out of his hand, right up to the bit where he gave commentator supreme Nigel Yalden a paternal pat on the head as he walked out. However, there's a big difference between "holding stuff back" and dropping the ball because you're not playing well. But he's right, NZers shouldn't panic, they're still leading the try-scoring and clean break charts.
3-0 (14pts, 1st in Pool D)
Truth be told, it's difficult to justify Ireland's lofty position after a disappointing seven-point victory over an average Italian side. But here's the thing: they're unbeaten in a potentially tricky pool and Rankings is tipping them to beat France next weekend by the slenderest of margins, and then keep up that narrow victory run against Argentina in the quarter-finals. They don't miss tackles either - their 91.7 per cent success rate second only to the Scots.
2-1 (11pts, 1st in Pool B)
It was tempting to make it an all Sanzar top three but then you have to think back at some of the Springboks' ropey work this year, particularly in Brighton v Japan. There is no doubt, however, that they have got their campaign back on track and if anything, their comprehensive win over Scotland has gone a little under-rated. Statistically they have the best lineout in the tournament and a rock-solid scrum, which augurs well for the traditionally setpiece dominated knockouts.
2-1 (10pts, 2nd in Pool C)
It is hard not to admire the way Argentina have gone about their business in an admittedly top-heavy Pool C. cataclysmic collapse against Namibia notwithstanding, they will face either Ireland or France in a quarter-final at Cardiff. Rankings would give them a slight edge against France and make them slight underdogs against Ireland.
3-0 (14pts, 2nd in Pool D)
You only need to look over Nos 3 and 5 on this list for the explanation of their placement. There's the distinct possibility that France are sailing through this tournament as the most under-the-radar contender - having a press corps that write and tweet in a language that remains challenging to most of us can do that - but the simple fact is they don't score enough tries (just 12 so far), or have the same sort of attacking imagination to be accorded the same type of respect as some other teams.
3-0 (13pts, 2nd in Pool A)
After having the Red Tide placed at No 8 last week, Rankings received a couple of interesting pieces of correspondence. This was the highlight: "Your basis to rank Scotland higher than Wales and even England shows that once you decided who was top. [sic] you picked the rest of the teams out of a hat. I want you to retract the article and publicly apologize to Wales. Samuel Hilling." Rankings can do better than that Sammy old son, it can lift Wales above Scotland - it's the least they deserve.
2-1 (10pts, 2nd in Pool B)
What a strange old group Pool B turned out to be. Japan shocks the Boks. The Scots easily account for Japan. The Boks easily account for Scotland. It is the latter match that best exposed the limitations of Vern Cotter's men and again highlighted how fortunate they were to be gifted Japan off sadistically short rest. Scotland just don't have players that can break down good defences. They should be good enough to beat Samoa and secure passage through to the playoffs.
2-1 (8pts, 3rd in Pool B)
Japan are in all likelihood not going to progress out of Pool B, their inability to secure any bonus points has almost certainly put paid to that, but this has been a breakthrough campaign in all respects. They will finish the pool by playing the USA off short rest. Unless they do a Devon Loch, that will give them three wins - more than, ahem, England.
1-2 (6pts, 3rd in Pool A)
Here's a passage of play that went largely unnoticed and summed up England's campaign. Owen Farrell kicks a penalty, England's 10th point in a row, and the gap against Australia is reduced to seven with quarter of an hour left. Twickenham is febrile. The Wallabies' collective body language is faltering. England easily regather the deep kickoff and the two choices are obvious: keep the ball and immediately test Australia's sagging defensive confidence, or kick deep and make them return it against a suddenly fired-up D-line. What do they do? Execute a lame 'exit' play that sees George Ford punt it out to 35m. All the air is let out of the balloon.
0-3 (0pts, 4th in Pool A)
Has a vastly improved setpiece and good defensive structure come at the cost of the things that make Fiji such a compelling side to watch - free-running, passing rugby? Zero points and just three tries would seem to suggest that's the case but as was discussed in last week's TPRs, the biggest impediment to Fijian success at this tournament was a draw so unfair it could be used as a "How not to" example in next year's Making A Draw 101 class.
1-2 (4pts, 4th in Pool C)
In reality, Georgia were the mosquitos as the All Blacks picnicked alongside the River Taff, but they were buzzing loudly and left a few big welts. Rankings is always more impressed by minnows who aim to construct rather than destruct, but we'll elevate them on the basis that most of their best players were rested in anticipation of a match against Namibia that can secure them automatic qualification for the 2019 event.
1-2 (5pts, 3rd in Pool D)
Putting in a real defensive shift against an Ireland team that was expected to win easily is kind of impressive. Even positioning this as a small victory gives some indication of the lack of progress Italy have made in the past two decades, despite being handed the sort of advantages the Pacific Nations Cup and Eastern European countries can only dream about. Terrible campaign completely lacking in imagination.
0-3 (1pt, 4th in Pool D)
After a poor, no-shots-fired opener against Ireland, Kieran Crowley's team have improved to the point where they almost resemble the team that went to the quarter-final in 1991. Their tournament ends in Leicester overnight.
1-2 (4pts, 4th in Pool B)
Where was the team that pushed the All Blacks in Apia? Actually, where was the team at all? The performance against Japan was way worse than bad. They owe it their passionate followers to restore some pride against Scotland. "We fell to pieces in this tournament and we want to finish strong," said coach Stephen Betham, stating the obvious. As an aside, someone needs to let Betham know that the camera is always on him. His body language reeks of defeat.
The rest: 16. USA (nc) 17. Romania (nc) 18. Tonga (nc) 19. Namibia (nc) 20. Uruguay (nc)
* All stats provided by Opta
