Morocco put ranking on line

(IRB.COM) Thursday 9 July 2009

This weekend sees the conclusion of the four-team CAR (Confederation of African Rugby) Trophy with hosts Morocco set to face Kenya in the final in Safi on Saturday following Cameroon’s encounter with Senegal.

Morocco are the higher ranked of the quartet at 33rd, six places above Kenya with Senegal next best in 67th with Cameroon 78th. Morocco’s 12-0 victory over Cameroon on Wednesday had no impact on the IRB World Rankings, while Kenya improved their rating points by less than a tenth with their 22-7 defeat of Senegal.

The two matches on Saturday, though, will impact the rankings. Morocco will not improve their position even with a victory by more than 15 points against Kenya, although they will edge closer to Belgium above them.

Kenya will fall one place, swapping places with another African side in Ivory Coast, with any margin of defeat. However a Kenyan victory will see them take over Morocco’s position of 33rd and condemn their hosts to a fall of between five and seven places, depending on the winning margin.

Senegal are guaranteed a four-place climb with victory over Cameroon, although they could jump as high as 60th with a win by more than 15 points. Cameroon’s rating would fall by just over a point, edging them closer to St Lucia beneath them.

However if Cameroon can come out on top they will climb between four and seven places, making them the higher ranked of the two sides with Senegal potentially sliding as many as nine places with a heavy defeat.