IRB World Rankings

[TerenureJim]

So where are we at after Saturday then?

[Broken Wing]

Should jump ahead of Scotland and probably Wales so back to 6th.

[johng]

We are 6th. Interestingly, if we had scored a converted try. (Murray or Bowe) at the end. We would have jumped to 3rd ahead of Australia (who would have fallen to 6th)

[TerenureJim]

We are 6th. Interestingly, if we had scored a converted try. (Murray or Bowe) at the end. We would have jumped to 3rd ahead of Australia (who would have fallen to 6th)

So despite completely outclassing the Aussies we don't really move up because we didn't score a try FFS just goes to show how useless these rankings are.

[johng]

We are 6th. Interestingly, if we had scored a converted try. (Murray or Bowe) at the end. We would have jumped to 3rd ahead of Australia (who would have fallen to 6th)

So despite completely outclassing the Aussies we don't really move up because we didn't score a try FFS just goes to show how useless these rankings are.

Not because we did not score a try. Because we did not beat them by more than 15 points.

We did move up from 8th to 6th.

They have been passed by SA too. and are now in 3rd.

We could pass France if they get lashed out of it by NZ.

[Dexter]

We are 6th. Interestingly, if we had scored a converted try. (Murray or Bowe) at the end. We would have jumped to 3rd ahead of Australia (who would have fallen to 6th)

So despite completely outclassing the Aussies we don't really move up because we didn't score a try FFS just goes to show how useless these rankings are.

Not because we did not score a try. Because we did not beat them by more than 15 points.

We did move up from 8th to 6th.

They have been passed by SA too. and are now in 3rd.

We could pass France if they get lashed out of it by NZ.

The doubling of the points in a WC does seem to enable some pretty big movements in the rankings!

[johng]

If France lose to NZ (V likely) and we beat Italy (probably less likely but still likely) and England lose to Scotland (Unlikely but possible)

We end up in 4th behind Aus going into the knockout stages.

However if Scotland beat Argentina as well as England (have to say bordering on Very unlikely) they end up in 4th ahead of us.

Scotland lose both and we are 5th behind England.

All of this thanks to Strange but Blue's Excel sheet.

[StrangeButBlue]

All of this thanks to Strange but Blue's Excel sheet.

It stood up to the first week of games and matches the irb.com site apart from rounding errors. There is a slightly updated version available on request

[Twist]

I don't much care about rankings, but can someone tell me if they have a bearing on World Cup seeding? I've been wondering why England are top seeds. Must be cos of the last World Cup? They've hardly been pulling up trees in the intervening years

[gfo]

I don't much care about rankings, but can someone tell me if they have a bearing on World Cup seeding? I've been wondering why England are top seeds. Must be cos of the last World Cup? They've hardly been pulling up trees in the intervening years

Is Argentina not the top seed there? England second tier and Scotland third. Bit of a joke still

[Xanthippe]

I don't much care about rankings, but can someone tell me if they have a bearing on World Cup seeding? I've been wondering why England are top seeds. Must be cos of the last World Cup? They've hardly been pulling up trees in the intervening years

Is Argentina not the top seed there? England second tier and Scotland third. Bit of a joke still

The seedings for the top three places in each group were as per the world rankings on 1st December 2008, which were as follows:

NEW ZEALAND	92.68
SOUTH AFRICA	89.45
AUSTRALIA	85.86
ARGENTINA	81.56
WALES		81.03
ENGLAND		80.86
FRANCE		79.49
IRELAND		78.45
SCOTLAND	76.76
FIJI		75.24
ITALY		74.64
SAMOA		72.57

It's interesting to remember that, following a win against Canada and defeat to New Zealand in the autumn internationals, we were left needing to beat Argentina to maintain 8th place. Had we lost we would have ended up 9th and Scotland would have taken our 8th place and our 2 seeding for the draw.

[Blue not red blood]

Correct.
Met so many people after that game saying how cr@p it was. They didnt understand the significance of it.
It was Kidneys most important game.
Had we lost we would have been 3rd seeds this month.

[hope not expectation]

was Michael Bradley not in charge for that one.
DK didn't take over until the next match I think

[Twist]

Yeah I'd completely forgotten that aspect to the Argie game

[Xanthippe]

was Michael Bradley not in charge for that one.
DK didn't take over until the next match I think

No, Bradley took the team on the summer tour - Deccie's first official game in charge was against Canada in November.

[Oldschool]

I see we've moved up to 5th. France are the big losers with that defeat to Tonga.

[Oldschool]

The priority and immediate short term goal now is to maintain or improve our rating until post AI 2012, when the RWC 2015 seedings are announced.

[Twist]

The priority and immediate short term goal now is to maintain or improve our rating until post AI 2012, when the RWC 2015 seedings are announced.

I was thinking this. If Argentina can get themselves seeded then so can we. Could make 2015 a lot more manageable.

[Twist]

The priority and immediate short term goal now is to maintain or improve our rating until post AI 2012, when the RWC 2015 seedings are announced.

I was thinking this. If Argentina can get themselves seeded then so can we. Could make 2015 a lot more manageable.

[Xanthippe]

Current rankings (after semi finals)

1. NZ 91.94 91.34
2. Aus 85.89 86.49
3. Fra 84.79
4. SA 84.34
5. Eng 81.58
6. Wal 81.10
7. Irl 80.65
8. Arg 80.28

Edit: Forgot that, although World Cup matches are played at neutral venues, this does not apply if the host nation are playing. BNZ and AUS ratings amended accordingly.