NZ top dogs again on IRB rankings
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:59
New Zealand's victory over South Africa last Saturday not only spoiled Percy Montgomery's 100th Test cap feat, but saw them return to the summit of the International Rugby Board (IRB) world rankings.
The All Blacks had gone into the sixth match of the 2008 Tri-Nations trailing the world champions by 0.95 rating points, but Graham Henry's side knew that victory at Newlands would see the sides swap places yet again this season.
New Zealand had briefly regained the number one ranking they had lost during the 2007 Rugby World Cup with their opening defeat of South Africa in Wellington last month, but losing to the Springboks the following week saw them return to second.
The 19-0 victory at Newlands - the first time South Africa have failed to score at home in the history of the Tri-Nations - means that New Zealand now sit on top of the rankings with 91.21 rating points, more than three points clear of South Africa.
South Africa now have a cushion of 1.7 rating points over third ranked Australia, the side they now face in back-to-back Tests in Durban and Johannesburg as this year's Tri-Nations enters the final stages.
The IRB top 10 world rankings as of Monday, August 18 are as follows:
1(2) New Zealand 91.21
2(1) South Africa 87.98
3(3) Australia 86.28
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
irb.com
