IRELAND HAVE MOVED up to second in the world rankings for the first time ever following yesterday’s 35-21 win over Wales at the Millennium Stadium.
Joe Schmidt’s men moved up to third in the official World Rugby list last November, returning to that position after beating England in the Six Nations in March.
Now Ireland find themselves ranked second in the world for the first time, having replaced South Africa behind leaders New Zealand.
The Springboks were beaten 37-25 by a hard-working and highly-skillful Argentina yesterday in their Rugby Championship clash in Durban.
Schmidt is sure to play down the meaning of this ranking as the second best team in the world ahead of the start of the World Cup next month, although it is a further indicator of the improvements made under the Kiwi since he took charge in 2013.
New Zealand remain in a dominant position at the top of the rankings despite their 27-19 defeat to Michael Cheika’s Australia yesterday. Ireland’s victory means they are narrowly ahead of the Wallabies in second spot.
- This article was originally published on 8 August, then updated at 12.20 on 9 August.
*Lies back and lights a cigar* nicely done. cave and earls very impressive.God I detest Gatland.
Well said.
Australia beat the All Blacks to go 2nd.
A second string Ireland beat a second string Wales to overtake them 2 hours later.
Rankings are a funny thing.
maybe just try and enjoy this moment . We have now beaten every other 1st tier team this year bar the all blacks, so I think on those stats we deserve second
Who said I wasn’t enjoying it?
Stop calling them the ABs it contributes to the myth that helps then stay as dominant as they are. They’re just New Zealand
That maybe true, but we are JS Ireland. That’s enough to send shivers through any team!
thank you Cian.
In fairness, down here Aussie’s are always called the Wallabies & SA the Springboks
THIS!! Just call em NZ
They’re allowed. They don’t believe rugby belongs to them and that all other teams are guests to the game.
“Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself” – Hermione Granger
I’m not afraid of their name. I’m saying we should wipe our arses with their mythological identity. We should be doing warm up drills when they do their haka. Why buy into all their stuff?
POC, Toner, McGrath and Ross doing a bit of Riverdance?
I think history has shown that disrespecting the haka revs the ABs up even more. I believe the vast majority of international players enjoy the opportunity to face the haka. Facing it didn’t deter the Wallabies at the weekend in any case. It’s a bit of theatre and part of the spectacle of watching them. Fans all over the world love it, and rugby needs that bit of draw sometimes. Do you have an issue with Samoa or Tonga doing a similar war dance before their games, or just NZ because you think they get an advantage from it?
All good points, especially about the other Pacific nations. I suppose I just think their psychological warfare is a huge factor in WHY they’re the best in the world.
I think I read somewhere that they have something like “we are the masters of this game” hung up in their dressing room. They are, and I’m not denying they are incredible ball players; but PART (not all) of the reason they are is because they often succeed in getting other teams to buy into their superiority aswell.
haha brilliant
that would be an ecumenial matter
its great but the rankings don’t say everything about who is going to win the world cup and any other game for that mater.
If we beat France and top our pool. I think we will hav a serious chance. Have a feeling New Zealand will stumble at quarters against France or in semi. Then we will hav no fear against any team and will hav experience of beating them. There is always just this black cloud over NZ for us, that messes with our heads
With everyone’s heads!
Fear no-one !!
playing from offside? obstruction and never rolling away in that rulebook tooo? If you’re wearing black?
Attempting to charge down a conversion before the kicker starts his run means the conversion has to be taken again , it’s nothing to do with Nigel or any referee for that matter, it’s in the Laws. The player was the one at fault and surely would have known the said Law.
Joke
I read during the week how Williams would be drooling over the thought of facing earls and cave, got that thrown back into his face !
Where we not second in the world going into the 2007 World Cup shambles?
No we were third. There is a rankings history on World Rugby website. Just type in the date
Oh right,for some reason I thought we where second.
Plus… it does actually say ‘for the first time ever’ in the title!
I wouldn’t take every title on this site as gospel from experience,they can come up with a few doozies.
Welcome to a Murray Kinsella article!
Perhaps someone should check the official world rankings as South Africa are still second.
They don’t normally update the rankings until the Monday
Perhaps someone should check when it was last updated. (3rd of August)
World Rugby have confirmed this over social media etc… It’s legit. Really think we’d all be discussing this with such an oversight?
cominatcha!!!! No more 2nd goes at penalty kicks in the dying. I’ve harassed and bullied our beloved Nigel on that for 2 years. Anyone name another match that ever happened in? ?? Not in last 27 tests anyway. #neveragain
I was at the game, drawing that game meant absolutely nothing, it was like a funeral when we lost and it would have been the same had we drawn
The AB,s captain knew the law and was very quick to remind Nigel of it, as if the best referee around at the moment needed reminding.
jeez wept
These rankings are a joke