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Ireland have moved up to second in the world rankings for the first time ever

Joe Schmidt’s men replace South Africa in World Rugby’s official list.

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 talks to his players Joe Schmidt speaks to his players before today's win against Wales. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

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.

There was a brilliant Wallabies’ front row try against the All Blacks

Trimble, Ryan and Earls excel in Ireland’s impressive win in Wales

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41 Comments
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    Mute james
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    Aug 8th 2015, 5:56 PM

    *Lies back and lights a cigar* nicely done. cave and earls very impressive.God I detest Gatland.

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    Mute Peter Slattery
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:30 PM

    Well said.

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    Mute Sarah Colton Irwin
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:01 PM

    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.

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    Mute Greg Cavey
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:06 PM

    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

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    Mute Sarah Colton Irwin
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:07 PM

    Who said I wasn’t enjoying it?

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    Mute Cian Walker
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:55 PM

    Stop calling them the ABs it contributes to the myth that helps then stay as dominant as they are. They’re just New Zealand

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    Mute conor
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    Aug 8th 2015, 7:07 PM

    That maybe true, but we are JS Ireland. That’s enough to send shivers through any team!

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    Mute Range Rover P38
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    Aug 8th 2015, 8:47 PM

    thank you Cian.

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    Mute Ross Power
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    Aug 8th 2015, 9:38 PM

    In fairness, down here Aussie’s are always called the Wallabies & SA the Springboks

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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Aug 8th 2015, 9:56 PM

    THIS!! Just call em NZ

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    Mute Cian Walker
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    Aug 8th 2015, 10:01 PM

    They’re allowed. They don’t believe rugby belongs to them and that all other teams are guests to the game.

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    Mute Eoghan
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    Aug 9th 2015, 12:14 AM

    “Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself” – Hermione Granger

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    Mute Cian Walker
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    Aug 9th 2015, 1:02 AM

    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?

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    Mute Christiaan Theron
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    Aug 9th 2015, 2:05 AM

    POC, Toner, McGrath and Ross doing a bit of Riverdance?

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    Mute Rory Dempsey
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    Aug 10th 2015, 3:28 AM

    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?

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    Mute Cian Walker
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    Aug 10th 2015, 6:57 AM

    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.

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    Mute markdunnecork
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    Aug 10th 2015, 10:04 AM

    haha brilliant

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    Mute markdunnecork
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:06 PM

    that would be an ecumenial matter

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    Mute Eoin Mulhern
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:11 PM

    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.

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    Mute s mc
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:41 PM

    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

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    Mute Cian Walker
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    Aug 9th 2015, 10:07 AM

    With everyone’s heads!

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    Mute Alex Scarrott
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    Aug 8th 2015, 9:01 PM

    Fear no-one !!

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    Mute Range Rover P38
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    Aug 8th 2015, 10:06 PM

    playing from offside? obstruction and never rolling away in that rulebook tooo? If you’re wearing black?

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    Mute Brian O' Connor
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    Aug 8th 2015, 9:49 PM

    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.

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    Mute Cathal McDonald
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:00 PM

    Joke

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    Mute DC
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    Aug 8th 2015, 9:49 PM

    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 !

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    Mute MARK O 'LEARY
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    Aug 8th 2015, 5:56 PM

    Where we not second in the world going into the 2007 World Cup shambles?

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    Mute Conor Alexander Lynott
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:00 PM

    No we were third. There is a rankings history on World Rugby website. Just type in the date

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    Mute MARK O 'LEARY
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    Aug 8th 2015, 6:23 PM

    Oh right,for some reason I thought we where second.

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    Mute Ralph Hosford
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    Aug 9th 2015, 12:07 AM

    Plus… it does actually say ‘for the first time ever’ in the title!

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    Mute MARK O 'LEARY
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    Aug 9th 2015, 12:19 AM

    I wouldn’t take every title on this site as gospel from experience,they can come up with a few doozies.

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    Mute Stuart
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    Aug 9th 2015, 3:19 AM

    Welcome to a Murray Kinsella article!

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    Mute Leonard Stumke
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    Aug 9th 2015, 9:53 AM

    Perhaps someone should check the official world rankings as South Africa are still second.

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    Mute Mark Carter
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    Aug 9th 2015, 10:17 AM

    They don’t normally update the rankings until the Monday

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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Aug 9th 2015, 10:18 AM

    Perhaps someone should check when it was last updated. (3rd of August)

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    Mute Stuart
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    Aug 9th 2015, 12:11 PM

    World Rugby have confirmed this over social media etc… It’s legit. Really think we’d all be discussing this with such an oversight?

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    Mute Range Rover P38
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    Aug 8th 2015, 9:15 PM

    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

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    Mute Iarla O'Domhnall
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    Aug 9th 2015, 12:16 AM

    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

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    Mute Brian O' Connor
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    Aug 8th 2015, 10:02 PM

    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.

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    Mute Range Rover P38
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    Aug 8th 2015, 10:05 PM

    jeez wept

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    Mute Conor
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    Aug 9th 2015, 12:56 PM

    These rankings are a joke

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