Rugby rankings may be maligned but they reflect expectation of tight World Cup | Matt McIlraith

Whether you agree with the methodology behind them or not, the rankings are generally accurate and have generated interestTwo-time Rugby World Cup-victor John Eales once said that the winner of the World Cup is not necessarily the best team in the world, rather it is the best team at the tournament. His observation has never been more pertinent following the indignation with which Wales’ albeit brief rise to the summit of the World Rugby rankings was received.The outrage was unsurprisingly at its greatest in New Zealand – where All Blacks’ coach Steve Hansen openly questioned the methodology e…