Rugby union power list: ruthless All Blacks are still the team to beat

Brodie Retallick and New Zealand look formidable before the Rugby World Cup 2015, and the scoreboard makes Ireland the world’s second-best teamStill the team to beat after a ruthlessly efficient end-of-year tour. Brodie Retallick is the world player of the year and any global XV based on the past month would have to contain Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Aaron Smith and Julian Savea as well. They rotated their squad cleverly, dotted the “i”s and crossed the “t”s squad-wise and ultimately proved too good for the USA Eagles, England, Scotland and Wales. The best hope for their opponents…