Former All Blacks first-five Nick Evans believes New Zealand are still the best international team in world rugby, despite their 16-9 defeat to Ireland last weekend.
The Dublin defeat was the All Blacks' first in Ireland and their second of the year, after losing to the Springboks 36-34 in Wellington.
Following the loss to Ireland, coach Steve Hansen labelled Joe Schmidt's side the best team in the world.
"Given you had the two best sides in the world play each other, they won, so I guess that does make them favourites," Hansen said.
But Evens, who played 16 tests for the All Blacks between 200-07, disagreed with Hansen's remarks in his column for The Guardian.
"Regardless of what Steve Hansen says, New Zealand are still the best team in the world and they are the favourites for next year's World Cup," Evans wrote.
"Yes, the gap has been closed a significant amount, but the big question is whether the All Blacks should be panicking now and I still think the answer is no.
"All credit to Ireland, they deserved their fantastic victory, and they are being widely congratulated and rightly so.
"But I wonder if it does prove to be such a good thing for the world of rugby for the simple reason that the All Blacks are going to get better because of it."
Evans doesn't think the All Blacks will change much of their gameplan less than a year out from next year's World Cup in Japan.
"The All Blacks now face Italy, but without doing them a disservice, have to wait a long time for another match of that kind of intensity - but I do not expect drastic changes between now and then.
"They seem to have 85-90 percent of their World Cup squad settled and have decided on the group of players they want.
"I do not think tactically there will be many changes either, because you want to be really sure of yourselves and comfortable in what you are doing, going into the games just before the World Cup.
"They will do what they do, but will find a way to do it better."
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