Ireland Rugby 3rd in the World

eirebhoy

Ireland are now 3rd in the world rugby rankings while New Zealand are second and England are 1st. Ireland have move up 4 places!

http://webrugby.com/content/rankings/

joemomma

Bloody hell! This doesn't even seem to take account of the 2003 Six Nations. Are these the official rankings?

eirebhoy

i heard it on rte news yesterday so i decided to google it so yes it is official.

MarVeL

These are the brand new IRB tables. We haven't gone up any positions because they were never issued before. Previously the Zurich tables were the most recognised (and to my mind they are still the most accurate) and we are still in the same place there.

Personally I think it is all an Aussie plot to make us overconfident and to inspire them in what is likely to be a tough game for them regardless. I don't think we deserve a ranking of 3rd in the world just yet (4th or 5th maybe depending on how France play, 5th or 6th if SA can pull out a cohesive side as they have managed for every other World Cup). I do think we are capable of beating any side in the world that isn't playing at it's best.

Hairy Homer

Too true.The aussies are going mad about these as they seem to use a slightly different formula to the Zurich ones and they take this as a great sporting slight which of course is a grevious insult to the nation as a whole, or at least is taken as such.

Let's not get over confident, though. Our recent victories over the likes of Fiji, Scotland and Wales apparently rank higher than Australia's recent narrow defeats to the likes of S Africa (whom we have beaten only once) New Zealand (whom we have NEVER beaten in nearly 100 years of trying) and England (whom we have beaten twice in the last 10 encounters-in both cases they were missing key players).

Aus have got to be favourites when we meet in a pool decider. Though if Argentina fulfill their recent promise, we could be playing the Aussies for second place.

MarVeL

Very true, Argentina seem to be coming on in leaps and bounds at the moment. Personally I would like to see them do well as it is a refreshing change. I only hope it isn't at our expense. Possibly they'll do a softening up job for us while they are at it? Argentina beating Australia has to be the dooms day scenario though.

Anyone know what happens if we end up tied for 2nd with them beating Australia and us beating them and Australia beating us? Points difference? Or the toss of a coin? Could make the other matches very important, possibly reducing the rest time for the star players

Hairy Homer

I think the Bonus point system is going to be in play in the group stages.

4pts for a win
2pts for a draw
1 bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries in a match
1bonus point for coming within 7 points of the victor if you're on the losing side

Therefore winning teams will get four or five points depending on how many tries they score.
Drawing teams will get two or three points on the same criteria
Losing teams will get none, one or two points, depending on how many tries they score and how close they get to the winners.

I'm sure any outstanding differences will be settled on head to head comparisons, followed by number of tries scored.

Not sure of the exact formula though.

As for softening up the opposition: Argentina play Australia in the opening match of the tournament. However, we play Australia a mere six days after we play Argentina in what could be the real decider of the group. Let's hope the Ozzies soften up the Argies, eh? Especially if we don't have our first choice front row.

PH01

World rankings don't really matter much do they? Ireland better than Australia, South Africa and France? They could be on the day but not over a couple of months.
But Ireland could make it to the semi-final or final as long as they don't meet England or New Zealand along the way in the knockout stages - which would prove the ranking correct.

I just love it when I contradict myself

Hairy Homer

In response to the 'what happens if we're tied at the end of the group stages', the bonus points system does indeed operate as posted above (ie bonus point for scoring four or more tries and/or finishing within seven points of the winning team if you're a loser.)

If teams are still level after all that, here is what the official RWC 2003 website says about it.



Rankings at the completion of the pool phase
At the completion of the Pool phase, the teams in a Pool are ranked one through five based on their cumulative match points, and identified respectively as winner, runner up, third, fourth and fifth.

If at the completion of the Pool phase two or more teams are level on match points, then the following criteria shall be used in the following order until one of the teams can be determined as the higher ranked:

i. The winner of the match in which the two tied teams have played each other shall be the higher ranked;

ii. The team which has the best difference between points scored for and points scored against in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

iii. The team which has the best difference between tries scored for and tries scored against in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

iv. The team which has scored most points in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

v. The team which has scored most tries in all its Pool matches shall be the higher ranked;

vi. Should the tie be unresolved at the conclusion of steps (i) through (v), then it shall be settled by the toss of a coin.

MarVeL

Figured that would be the way. I have a horrible feeling that the other pool games may yet prove to be vitally important as a three way tie doesn't look beyond the bounds of possiblity at the moment. With the emphasis placed on tries scored it really underlines the magnitude of the loss of Murphy. Lets hope others take the chance to make names for themselves or underline their reputation