IRB climbers and fallers

[calculon]

Form isn't necessarily a guide to how things will turn out if previous world cups are anything to go by.
But here are the climbers and fallers over the last month - inclusive of all warm-up games (in terms of points gained and lost rather than position)
I listed them this way as some teams didn't drop places but still lost a few points on the scale.

Up:

Australia, South Africa, France, England, Wales, Scotland, Samoa, Italy, Tonga, Canada

Down:

New Zealand, Ireland, Argentina, Japan, Fiji, Georgia

p.s. I hope form doesn't matter, especially as I want the Kiwis to win!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Do you know if Ireland drop to 10th after the England match, or was the points ratio not big enough?
I have a feeling a 15pt scoreline was involved somewhere, but not sure whether a 15pt England win was needed for them to go up a spot, or Ireland to drop quite a bit

 

[calculon]

Do you know if Ireland drop to 10th after the England match, or was the points ratio not big enough?
I have a feeling a 15pt scoreline was involved somewhere, but not sure whether a 15pt England win was needed for them to go up a spot, or Ireland to drop quite a bit

AFAIK, they drop to 9th. behind Scotland, but I'm not sure. It could be tenth - just behind Argentina.

So, an Ireland Argentina final then?

Yeah, it's 15 points or higher for the extra hit.
Ireland lost by 11 points so they don't get the 1.5x hit unlike the 24 - 8 home win against England.

 

[Shaggy]

Yes New Zealand dropped from 1st alway down to ... er ... 1st

... I don't think the rankings make much difference to the RWC results to be honest, and i'm hoping that the pre world cup tests/tri nations don't mean much either

 

[TRF_Olyy]

[TABLE="class: table_main, width: 497"]
<caption class="heading2 h" style="text-align: left; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 20px; float: none; clear: both; background-image: url(http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/body/top_blue.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(3, 78, 162); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 20px; margin-top: 1px; margin-right: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 1px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3px; background-position: 100% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">IRB World Rankings - 29 August 2011</caption><thead style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(182, 198, 211); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(67, 93, 122); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">[TR]
<th class="l" style="margin-top: 1px; margin-right: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 1px; font-weight: bold; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(209, 216, 233); color: rgb(25, 87, 172); height: 17px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2px; text-align: left; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; ">Position (last week)</th><th class="l" style="margin-top: 1px; margin-right: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 1px; font-weight: bold; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(209, 216, 233); color: rgb(25, 87, 172); height: 17px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2px; text-align: left; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; ">Member Union</th><th class="l" style="margin-top: 1px; margin-right: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 1px; font-weight: bold; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(209, 216, 233); color: rgb(25, 87, 172); height: 17px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2px; text-align: left; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; ">Rating Point</th>[/TR]
</thead><tbody>[TR]
[TD="class: l"]1(1)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

NEW ZEALAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]90.55[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]2(2)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

AUSTRALIA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]88.84[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]3(3)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

SOUTH AFRICA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]85.69[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]4(4)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

FRANCE[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]83.78[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]5(5)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

ENGLAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]82.89[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]6(6)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

WALES[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]80.79[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]7(8)

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

SCOTLAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]78.83[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]8(7)

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

IRELAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]78.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]9(9)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

ARGENTINA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]78.40[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]10(10)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

SAMOA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]74.54[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]





It's a shame that the WC doesn't count towards points (I think?) as I think Samoa would finish higher than 10th

 

[Shaggy]

[TABLE="class: table_main, width: 497"]
<tbody>[TR]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]1(1)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

NEW ZEALAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]90.55[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]2(2)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

AUSTRALIA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]88.84[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]3(3)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

SOUTH AFRICA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]85.69[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]4(4)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

FRANCE[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]83.78[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]5(5)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

ENGLAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]82.89[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]6(6)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

WALES[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]80.79[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]7(8)

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

SCOTLAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]78.83[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]8(7)

[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

IRELAND[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]78.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]9(9)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

ARGENTINA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]78.40[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: l"]10(10)[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]

SAMOA[/TD]
[TD="class: l"]74.54[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]






It's a shame that the WC doesn't count towards points (I think?) as I think Samoa would finish higher than 10th

I think double points are awarded for World Cup matches ...i think I read that on the IRB site

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ah! I must've been getting mixed up with the TRF shield

 

[calculon]

Yeah, I didn't see any England fans posting the rankings a few months ago when we took back 4th. and kicked your ass down to 6th. Let's see how the rankings look after the world cup - actually probably pretty much the same as now - waaahhhh

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's because you weren't here a few months ago!

There actually was a thread when Ireland got up to wherever it was they got to (4th?)

 

[calculon]

Ahh, I see.
Here's my next challenge (for those who are arsed):
Rewrite how you think the rank will look after the world cup is over. www.irb.com has the basic method used to calculate rank.
It's made easier by neutral venue. I don't think AB's are handicapped for playing all games at home - not sure. Anyone know?
I'm not convinced the rank would change much from where it is now, with a few minor exceptions.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

1. England
2. New Zealand
3. Samoa
4. Australia
5. Wales
6. France
7. Argentina
8. Scotland
9. South Africa
10. Italy
11. Fiji
12. Canada
13. Russia
14. USA
...
...
...
...
...
37. Ireland

 

[JW.]

I can't do anything but second the above .

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. England
4. Ireland
5. South Africa
6. France
7. Samoa
8. Argentina
9. Wales
10. Scotland

Wild guess, it'll probably be well off.

EDIT: Ha hopefully it'll be closer than Olyy's

 

[big ginger 8]

Now now Olly.

1. Ireland who gives a crap who's below?

 

[Nicolaas]

wishful thinking

 

[big ginger 8]

Naw it's simple we're pulling an elaborate betting scam.

 

[calculon]

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Ireland
4. South Africa
5. Argentina
6. France
7. Wales
8. Scotland
9. Samoa
10. Georgia
11. England
12. Canada
13. Japan
14. Fiji
...
...
...
...
...
37. not sure about this one

 

[psychic duck]

How the rankings should be:

1. New Zealand - simply the best, way more class than any other nation, they have to have an off day to lose
2. South Africa - at full strength and fully fit, I think they are the nearest to New Zealand, that team that bullied England in November, I think would beat Australia, sacking PdV would help them
3. Australia - they've beaten New Zealand twice in the last 12 months, but I can't forget England beating them in 2010, and how the tight five were unstable, if England had New Zealand's backs (the good ones) then England would have beaten the Aussies by about 20 points each match last year
4. England - I'm confused by them, they looked to be getting back to a level that could challenge the big three, but then put in some performances that were like the ones from the Borthwick era
5. France - they're still inconsistent as ever, probably the best in Europe on their day, but England consistently seem to be their bogey team, but still more often than not beat the Celts
6. Wales - they played some of the most boring rugby I've ever seen a Wales team play during the 6 Nations, but I have been pleasantly surprised by them of late, they're finishing tries well and the defense has been tight also
7. Ireland - that England performance in the 6N masked the fact they weren't great at all for the rest of the competition, they conceded too many penalties and the backs didn't achieve their potential
8. Scotland - always seem to have their best performances in cold, wet weather, and when the sun shines I would back Samoa and Fiji to beat them and some of the teams ahead of them on this list to thrash them rather than have wet, tight matches which suit them, such as Australia in 2009 and South Africa 2010, they haven't been able to buy a try for quite some time now also
9. Samoa - a much fitter side than they used to be, still concede too many penalties though
10. Argentina - a really poor side at the minute, gradually becoming a very similar side to Italy, I expect the coach to be sacked after the World Cup
11. Italy - if they just had a good goal kicker they would be in the top 6, the Parisse/Zanni/Bergamasco/Castrogiovanni generation is being massively held back by the quite frankly dreadful options at 10, and no world class goal kicker, Dominguez in this era is just what they need
12. Fiji - a good side at full strength and capable of an upset, but their scrum would get mashed against teams such as Wales, Argentina and Italy

 

[calculon]

^^
I don't think that's accurate but maybe it's not too far off. I think Ireland have experimented with their team allot and that cost them, but I'm all in favor of that - they needed to bring in new blood and they've certainly found some. The interesting thing about the world cup is that it will certainly shake things up.

 

[Nicolaas]

How the rankings should be:

2. South Africa - at full strength and fully fit, I think they are the nearest to New Zealand, that team that bullied England in November, I think would beat Australia, sacking PdV would help them

i pray every day...