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It might be strange to be saying this during a British & Irish Lions Series Down Under, where we're all almost praying for Australia to perform this weekend and avoid a dreaded whitewash, but the Southern Hemisphere's top two remain comfortably clear of the best served up in the North.
It might be strange to be saying this during a British & Irish Lions Series Down Under, where we're all almost praying for Australia to perform this weekend and avoid a dreaded whitewash, but the Southern Hemisphere's top two remain comfortably clear of the best served up in the North.
South Africa and New Zealand are one and two in the World Rugby rankings by a comfortable margin, less than two years since people were questioning if the balance was shifting to the North with France and Ireland favourites for the 2023 World Cup.
In the end, familiar foes the Springboks and All Blacks contested the final, with England the only Northern representative in the last four.
It was France's golden generation, who off the back of dominating the Junior World Championship, were set up perfectly for their home tournament. The showpiece event didn't work in their favour, but there is of course, still a plethora of talent coming through the seemingly ever-growing Top 14.
South dominate the podium at JWC
France finished fourth in the Junior World Cup after losing their third-place play-off to Argentina on Saturday - a far cry from winning three consecutive titles in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
All three medalists derived from the Southern Hemisphere, with last year's winners, England, only mustering a sixth-place finish.
Even though both England and France have underachieved in recent years, the future looks bright, particularly for Steve Borthwick's side, who enjoyed a fine turnaround in the second half of the Six Nations and clinched a 2-0 series win in Argentina this month without their healthy Lions contingent.
Can anyone stop the formidable Green and Gold machine?
However, it must be said South Africa's conveyor belt of talent is frightening. They were worthy winners of the U20s World Championship, scoring a frightening 30 tries in their four outings before Saturday's much more tense final. Players like captain Riley Norton, deadeye goal kicker Vusi Moyo and livewire, silky stepping scrum-half Haashim Pead are ones to watch for the future, with the Springboks not looking like slowing down anytime soon as they hunt for an unprecedented third William Webb Ellis Cup on the spin.
In the build-up to the 2023 World Cup, you couldn't split the top four nations: France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, but now it seems the latter are frighteningly clear of the rest. But as they say, 'write the All Blacks off at your peril'.
It wouldn't be fair to measure the gap between New Zealand and World No.3 France on their recent test series, which the All Blacks won 3-0, as Galthie's side were without their Top 14 finalists and controversially sent over a scratch side.
In a crunch World Cup knockout match, you really would struggle to pick between those two in current form, but most would give the All Blacks the slight nod due to tournament expertise.
Woeful recent Ireland U20 displays are a cause for serious concern
Now lies the North's problem, and sorry Ireland fans, but it's you. Ireland U20s endured a dismal, winless Six Nations, finishing bottom. And the recent Junior World Cup was not much better, only beating Spain by a point in their 11th-place play-off match, where they were fortunate to avoid finishing bottom of the tournament.
It is no secret that Ireland's seniors are ageing, with the bulk of their golden generation squad, which impressively won back-to-back Six Nations in 2023-24 and saw Andy Farrell's side top of the rankings for a significant period, on the brink of retirement before 2027.
There just doesn't seem to be the talent coming through that England and France are benefiting from. Ireland finished second in the U20s Six Nations and fourth in the World Cup last year, but consecutive disastrous showings in 2025 must cause the IRFU to take notice.
Ireland are lacking green shoots, while their recent fierce 'Zombie' rivals South Africa have an incomparable strength in depth, building from underneath and have motored well clear at the summit of World Rugby.