World Rankings 2024

Following the weekends results I see Italy are 9th and Australia 10th

Given all the clamour to drop Italy from the 6 Nations is it time the Rugby Championship should consider dropping Australia ?

geoff999rugby wrote:Following the weekends results I see Italy are 9th and Australia 10th

Given all the clamour to drop Italy from the 6 Nations is it time the Rugby Championship should consider dropping Australia ? :whistle:

In all seriousness, as far as I can tell the crisis in Australian Rugby Union is bad enough that they might drop themselves.

Australia's super rugby teams are doing quite well this year so far. I think their senior side will also improve a lot under Schmidt, there are some green shoots. I wouldnt be surprised if they picked off a win v NZ this year. Abs fans are fully expecting miracles under new coach Robertson however, their super sides dont look as strong as in the past especially with the Crusaders struggling a bit in 2nd last spot on the table.

NZ will struggle. They don't have good enough replacements for Savea, Whitelock, Rettalick, Mo'unga and B Barrett. It's why Robertson wanted them to reconsider their players overseas policy. They have good centres and wingers, but that's about it.

1(1) South Africa 94.54

2(2) Ireland 90.69

3(3) New Zealand 89.80

4(4) France 87.92

5(5) England 85.75

6(6) Scotland 82.82

7(7) Argentina 80.68

8 (9) Italy 79.41

9 (10) Australia 77.48

10(8) Wales 77.26

11 (11) Fiji 76.38

12 (12) Japan 74.27

13 (13) Georgia 74.02

14 (14) Samoa 72.23

15 (16) Tonga 71.57

16 (15) Portugal 70.28

mikey_dragon wrote:NZ will struggle. They don't have good enough replacements for Savea, Whitelock, Rettalick, Mo'unga and B Barrett. It's why Robertson wanted them to reconsider their players overseas policy. They have good centres and wingers, but that's about it.

Not sure I've ever seen a NZ side struggle, certainly not in way us in NH do! Rugby a religion there so I don't think they'll have any issue finding quality players. Plenty in South Sea Islands...

Yeah its likely that NZ will be fine however, it is a bit alarming how much less dominant their super rugby sides are vs their Australian counterparts this year. NZ has in the past benefited from a very strong Crusaders side which has for the last couple of decades been a big contributor to the ABs. They are bottom of the super rugby table this year!! I dont think they have been in this position in the last 30 years.

mountain man wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:NZ will struggle. They don't have good enough replacements for Savea, Whitelock, Rettalick, Mo'unga and B Barrett. It's why Robertson wanted them to reconsider their players overseas policy. They have good centres and wingers, but that's about it.

Not sure I've ever seen a NZ side struggle, certainly not in way us in NH do! Rugby a religion there so I don't think they'll have any issue finding quality players. Plenty in South Sea Islands...

They struggled throughout Foster's reign. Agree that their struggle is a bit different from ours, as they could still wipe the floor with most teams.

Wales' position is not nice reading for a pessimist like me. But if I try to put an optimistic spin on things, a win against some of those teams above us would catapult us up the table nicely. OK, wins don't look like they're going to be easy to come by. But we have players coming back - Lake and Jac Morgan announced today - to bolster the squad. Maybe we could get something over the summer. Australia will not be a pushover with a new coaching setup but you never know. They may take a while to get up and running. Could we get close again out in SA? It was only 18 months ago that we won out in SA and, some would argue, could have even pinched the series.

Or going back to my pessimistic self - we could get annihilated by the world champions and a resurgent Australia and slip even further down the rankings!

We'll get annihilated by all of them, especially by SA (again). Gatland was a busted flush but now he is just absolutely awful at everything, and will continue to select players not good enough whilst actually believing he can turn them into world beaters.

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Wales' position is not nice reading for a pessimist like me.  But if I try to put an optimistic spin on things, a win against some of those teams above us would catapult us up the table nicely.

Or going back to my pessimistic self - we could get annihilated by the world champions and a resurgent Australia and slip even further down the rankings!

The only way Wales will catapult up the rankings is if they beat South Africa

Wins and Loses to Australia will be marginal as the two teams are so close to each other

geoff999rugby wrote:

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Wales' position is not nice reading for a pessimist like me.  But if I try to put an optimistic spin on things, a win against some of those teams above us would catapult us up the table nicely.

Or going back to my pessimistic self - we could get annihilated by the world champions and a resurgent Australia and slip even further down the rankings!

The only way Wales will catapult up the rankings is if they beat South Africa

Wins and Loses to Australia will be marginal as the two teams are so close to each other

Yeah, catapult was the wrong word. But we could swap places if we win away from home against them. Beating someone above you away from home earns quite a few points I think. And any sort of result against the top team would be lots of points too wouldn’t it?

*by catapult I in no way meant that we’d get up towards the top, btw! Just to maybe a more respectable 7th or 8th perhaps