Power Rankings for Autumn internationals

It’s that time of year again, as rugby’s giants and potential giant-killers head north of the equator to take on Europe’s powerhouses in their own backyards.

The November 2014 Tests that will enthral all us over the next four weekends will have added resonance with a World Cup set to be staged in England and Cardiff getting underway in just 10 months. Which means that time is running out for the likes of Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt and Australia's new boss Michael Cheika to assess their options and decide on their best XVs to take on the world next September. With the clock ticking, we assess who's sitting pretty, who's best placed to make a great leap forward this autumn and who still has a mountan to climb.

1. NEW ZEALAND