IRB World Rankings

[mtleinster]

Very difficult to argue with these ranking

Very little between 5th and 8th

[fourthirtythree]

Very difficult to argue with these ranking

Very little between 5th and 8th

I think there should be very little between second and eighth. Oz, SA, and France are no better than Wales, Ireland, Argentina. Or at least there's nothing in it.

[cormac]

Going by the guidelines used for seeding for this World Cup, we'll need to stay in the top 8 by the end of 2012 to avoid dropping into the third tier for 2015. There's a decent gap to 9th at the moment.

9 Tonga 76.63
10 Scotland 76.20
11 Samoa 75.81
12 Italy 73.99

Beating Scotland and Italy in the 6N will keep us where we are, any other victories would probably see us climb the rankings. Two victories in November should then see us right. Any points picked up in June in NZ would be a real Brucie bonus.

[johng]

Going by the guidelines used for seeding for this World Cup, we'll need to stay in the top 8 by the end of 2012 to avoid dropping into the third tier for 2015. There's a decent gap to 9th at the moment.

9 Tonga 76.63
10 Scotland 76.20
11 Samoa 75.81
12 Italy 73.99

Beating Scotland and Italy in the 6N will keep us where we are, any other victories would probably see us climb the rankings. Two victories in November should then see us right. Any points picked up in June in NZ would be a real Brucie bonus.

Well we beat the Reigning WC Champs 1st game after the WC last 3 times. So we are BOUND to beat NZ in June. (or France in Paris in Feb)

[Xanthippe]

Going by the guidelines used for seeding for this World Cup, we'll need to stay in the top 8 by the end of 2012 to avoid dropping into the third tier for 2015. There's a decent gap to 9th at the moment.

9 Tonga 76.63
10 Scotland 76.20
11 Samoa 75.81
12 Italy 73.99

Beating Scotland and Italy in the 6N will keep us where we are, any other victories would probably see us climb the rankings. Two victories in November should then see us right. Any points picked up in June in NZ would be a real Brucie bonus.

If Australia beat Wales on Friday they (Wales) would drop to 8th with us and Argentina climbing one place each.

Interestingly, if France win they become World #1 and BNZ would be either 2nd or 3rd depending on the margin of victory and the result of the Australia v Wales match.

[Xanthippe]

IRB Rankings at the conclusion of RWC 2011

NEW ZEALAND	91.43
AUSTRALIA	87.42
FRANCE		84.70
SOUTH AFRICA	84.34
ENGLAND		81.58
IRELAND		80.65
ARGENTINA	80.28
WALES		80.18
TONGA		76.63
SCOTLAND	76.20

edit: IRB have Australia at .01 of a mark more than I had!

[TerenureJim]

IRB Rankings at the conclusion of RWC 2011

NEW ZEALAND	91.43
AUSTRALIA	87.41
FRANCE		84.70
SOUTH AFRICA	84.34
ENGLAND		81.58
IRELAND		80.65
ARGENTINA	80.28
WALES		80.18
TONGA		76.63
SCOTLAND	76.20

Tonga really charged up the rankings after that France win, funny how they were in my opinion the South Sea Island least likely to make a splash but they really have put themselves on the map.

I don't think the points gap is as large between 2 and 8 as it appears on the table there. South Africa and Engalnd are bruisers who I think ourselves and Wales have the measure of on any given day as I think our players have a greater skill set. Australia are quite lucky to be where they are on that table as given their current form on paper you'd fancy any team below bar Scotland and Tonga to beat them.

[West Brit]

Australia are quite lucky to be where they are on that table as given their current form on paper you'd fancy any team below bar Scotland and Tonga to beat them.

You mean the team that just won the Tri-Nations (against the teams ranked 1 and 4) and came third in the world cup is lucky to be ranked second in the world, and should be scared of donkeys like England and Argentina? Last time they played the third-ranked team they put 50-odd points past them. I think them being ranked second is pretty fair alright.

[Oldschool]

IRB Rankings at the conclusion of RWC 2011

NEW ZEALAND	91.43
AUSTRALIA	87.41
FRANCE		84.70
SOUTH AFRICA	84.34
ENGLAND		81.58
IRELAND		80.65
ARGENTINA	80.28
WALES		80.18
TONGA		76.63
SCOTLAND	76.20

Fair play again for info-
We need to beat Wales, Scotland, Italy in 6N and pick up something in the AIs and we should be OK - Sounds simple, but no doubt Ireland being Ireland, It'll go down to the wire.

[berniemac67]

IRB Rankings at the conclusion of RWC 2011

NEW ZEALAND	91.43
AUSTRALIA	87.41
FRANCE		84.70
SOUTH AFRICA	84.34
ENGLAND		81.58
IRELAND		80.65
ARGENTINA	80.28
WALES		80.18
TONGA		76.63
SCOTLAND	76.20

Tonga really charged up the rankings after that France win, funny how they were in my opinion the South Sea Island least likely to make a splash but they really have put themselves on the map.

I don't think the points gap is as large between 2 and 8 as it appears on the table there. South Africa and Engalnd are bruisers who I think ourselves and Wales have the measure of on any given day as I think our players have a greater skill set. Australia are quite lucky to be where they are on that table as given their current form on paper you'd fancy any team below bar Scotland and Tonga to beat them.

I'd say that overall they look fair enough.

NZ clearly the best team around.

Aus put things back in perspective a bit in the 3rd place match (oops, sorry bronze medal final). They are a fine side (almost choked typing that)

France no matter how shocking they are one week can go out and give anybody a run for their money if they want to.

England and SA are not so great at the moment, but they are BIG and therefore a handful and difficult to beat on their day.

We beat Aus without a couple of their most influential players (Ioane and Pocock). Not sure how we'd go if they were full strength.

Arg had a solid RWC given the players they were without and lost during the tournament, they were also unlucky enough to meet NZ in the QFs, they could likely have rattle a few other cages with a kinder draw.

Wales beat us, but nobody else of note (no points for galant failures as we Irish know all too well). The 6N will be interesting, my prediction is business as usual ... good solid tonkings off England and France, narrow defeats to us and Scotland and a solitary win over Italy to spare blushes.

Tonga, can't argue with beating the French. Not many teams do that.

Scotland have only themsleves to blame.

[Oldschool]

A useful way of ensuring our second seed status is to beat Wales by more than 15 points.
Beating Scotland could also be a help. Tonga and Argentina too were we to meet them.
In addition we have a very good chance of beating England too.
Beating Australia, put us in a great position to retain our second seed and therefore do some selection experimentation for the 2012 6Ns.

[StrangeButBlue]

A useful way of ensuring our second seed status is to beat Wales by more than 15 points.
Beating Scotland could also be a help. Tonga and Argentina too were we to meet them.
In addition we have a very good chance of beating England too.
Beating Australia, put us in a great position to retain our second seed and therefore do some selection experimentation for the 2012 6Ns.

Realisitcally we need to Win Home games of the 6N and the AI apart from SA which we can lose. Lose to France, England, NZ*3 and SA will still keep us in the top 8. Losing to Scotland would be a major problem as they would obviously get the points and be in contention for 8th spot.

[totalrandomer]

A useful way of ensuring our second seed status is to beat Wales by more than 15 points.
Beating Scotland could also be a help. Tonga and Argentina too were we to meet them.
In addition we have a very good chance of beating England too.
Beating Australia, put us in a great position to retain our second seed and therefore do some selection experimentation for the 2012 6Ns.

Realisitcally we need to Win Home games of the 6N and the AI apart from SA which we can lose. Lose to France, England, NZ*3 and SA will still keep us in the top 8. Losing to Scotland would be a major problem as they would obviously get the points and be in contention for 8th spot.

Thank fock we have them at home.

Have the AIs been announced?

[slum]

A useful way of ensuring our second seed status is to beat Wales by more than 15 points.
Beating Scotland could also be a help. Tonga and Argentina too were we to meet them.
In addition we have a very good chance of beating England too.
Beating Australia, put us in a great position to retain our second seed and therefore do some selection experimentation for the 2012 6Ns.

Realisitcally we need to Win Home games of the 6N and the AI apart from SA which we can lose. Lose to France, England, NZ*3 and SA will still keep us in the top 8. Losing to Scotland would be a major problem as they would obviously get the points and be in contention for 8th spot.

Thank fock we have them at home.

Have the AIs been announced?

Didn't they beat us last time they played us at home?

[StrangeButBlue]

A useful way of ensuring our second seed status is to beat Wales by more than 15 points.
Beating Scotland could also be a help. Tonga and Argentina too were we to meet them.
In addition we have a very good chance of beating England too.
Beating Australia, put us in a great position to retain our second seed and therefore do some selection experimentation for the 2012 6Ns.

Realisitcally we need to Win Home games of the 6N and the AI apart from SA which we can lose. Lose to France, England, NZ*3 and SA will still keep us in the top 8. Losing to Scotland would be a major problem as they would obviously get the points and be in contention for 8th spot.

Didn't they beat us last time they played us at home?

No that never happened. Parks missed that kick at the end. They couldn't have beaten us at home for the last game in Crowe Park.

[sarah_lennon]

RB WORLD RANKINGS (as of Monday, February 6):

Last week's positions in brackets -

1(1) NEW ZEALAND 91.43 rating points
2(2) AUSTRALIA 87.99
3(3) FRANCE 84.70
4(4) SOUTH AFRICA 84.34
5(5) ENGLAND 82.34
6(8) WALES 81.01
7(7) ARGENTINA 80.28
8(6) IRELAND 79.25
9(9) TONGA 76.63
10(11) SAMOA 75.81
11(10) SCOTLAND 75.44
12(12) ITALY 73.99

[Made Of Ale]

We're in serious danger of dropping out of the top eight. The big points gains are from beating teams ahead of you in the rankings, and Scotland have three of these to come (although they also have to travel to Italy which could end up being a big points loss for them). Our game against Scotland may well decide eighth place for the World Cup draw.

[johng]

We're in serious danger of dropping out of the top eight. The big points gains are from beating teams ahead of you in the rankings, and Scotland have three of these to come (although they also have to travel to Italy which could end up being a big points loss for them). Our game against Scotland may well decide eighth place for the World Cup draw.

Argentina could get wiped out in the Quad Nations this year. Might help.

[berniemac67]

We're in serious danger of dropping out of the top eight. The big points gains are from beating teams ahead of you in the rankings, and Scotland have three of these to come (although they also have to travel to Italy which could end up being a big points loss for them). Our game against Scotland may well decide eighth place for the World Cup draw.

Argentina could get wiped out in the Quad Nations this year. Might help.

they are lower ranked than their opponents so won't lose too many points by losing to them

one win would probably more than make up for losing all the other matches

[Dexter]

RB WORLD RANKINGS (as of Monday, February 6):

Last week's positions in brackets -

1(1) NEW ZEALAND 91.43 rating points
2(2) AUSTRALIA 87.99
3(3) FRANCE 84.70
4(4) SOUTH AFRICA 84.34
5(5) ENGLAND 82.34
6(8) WALES 81.01
7(7) ARGENTINA 80.28
8(6) IRELAND 79.25
9(9) TONGA 76.63
10(11) SAMOA 75.81
11(10) SCOTLAND 75.44
12(12) ITALY 73.99

November 2008:

1(1) NEW ZEALAND 92.41
2(2) SOUTH AFRICA 87.75
3(3) AUSTRALIA 85.32
4(4) ARGENTINA 83.36
5(5) ENGLAND 83.16
6(6) WALES 80.12
7(7) FRANCE 78.99
8(8) IRELAND 77.18
9(9) SCOTLAND 76.92
10(10) ITALY 75.57

We have a couple more points this time as we got out of our group in the WC (although an easier group than in 2007).