REPORT CARD | Top 10 Test rugby sides of 2022, how they shape up for RWC2023

For rugby fans, 2022 was no doubt an incredible year.

We had our first full calendar of international rugby in what felt like ages, and this season was a better's nightmare as any team could seemingly beat any other, so unpredictable were the results.

The All Blacks' ungracious decline and the inconsistency of the Springboks allowed France and Ireland to cement their spots at the pinnacle of world rugby, while other traditionally smaller nations put in some very encouraging performances and effected some major upsets.

On the women's side, a wildly successful Rugby World Cup 2021 (the name of the postponed tournament was retained), hosted and won by New Zealand's Black Ferns, set a new benchmark for the sport and will do wonders for the development of the women's game.

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Next year sees the men building towards the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, with some teams well settled and others with new management and/or major question marks hanging over their heads.

Below we rate the top 10 ranked sides and give our thoughts on their focal points ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup:

Ireland

Rating: B+

Record: 9-2-0 (wins-losses-draws)

Positives: An historic first-ever Test series win against New Zealand in New Zealand. They are also very settled as a team - they know who their best 23 is and they are consistent in their selection.

Negatives: Ireland didn't manage to win the Six Nations and were vulnerable towards the end of the year against the Springboks and Fiji.

Focus for RWC2023: There is an oversized reliance on 38-year-old Jonny Sexton to stay fit, who is already an injury doubt for this year's Six Nations tournament.

Their up-and-coming