North v South - the battle for global supremacy is tighter than ever

If the two hemispheres have been more closely matched on the scoreboard, there remain some significant tactical differences between them.

Overall there has been a stylistic shift to keeping the ball on the pitch and in the hand in the past couple of years.

Compared to 2021-2023, the average ball-in-play time in a Test has risen by nearly two and a half minutes, with the volume of ball-carrying correspondingly up by 17%.

However, northern hemisphere side kick the ball an average of 80 metres further from open play and make 25 more tackles per game.

The southern hemisphere sides also conform to some age-old stereotypes, recycling the ball 10% faster from rucks and powering their way to 18% more post-contact metres.

Which individual players are likeliest to tilt the title the way of their team - and hemisphere?

With the finals of the United Rugby Championship, England's Prem, France's Top 14 and Super Rugby all having taken place over the past two weeks, the world's best players are coming into the tournament on the back of some high-level domestic rugby.

Data experts Oval Insights' match ratings, which reflect a player's net impact on their side's scoring opportunities, say that the Ireland and Leinster second row Joe McCarthy, with an average rating of 8.5 out of 10 over his five most recent matches in the past 60 days, is the world's most in-form player.

New Zealand's Jordie Barrett and England's Tommy Freeman, who like McCarthy are fresh from lifting club silverware, are second in the standings, with France scrum-half Maxime Lucu and Australia centre Len Ikitau not far behind.