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They can't even get a united front on this
Wallabies up to second best
By Jim Tucker
May 30, 2007
AUSTRALIA must produce a supreme performance to steamroll Wales on Saturday if rugby's world rankings are not to be held up for ridicule.
The Wallabies will reach a 22-month high in the global rankings by replacing France at No.2 if they win at Suncorp Stadium and New Zealand completes a ritual slaying of a second-string French line-up in Auckland.
Such a prospect is astonishing considering both the rusty Wallabies' last-gasp escape in the first Test against Wales and their biggest losing run against the All Blacks in a decade.
"I'm a realist, we'd be kidding ourselves to think we've done enough to put ourselves at No.2," Australian Rugby Union president Paul McLean said candidly last night.
"The next seven weeks against Wales, a resurgent South Africa and New Zealand is the only way to tell if we can aspire to such a level with the progress we all hope is in the team.
"I'm sure the players would agree."
Wallabies coach John Connolly inherited the side last year from axed predecessor Eddie Jones when it had dipped to No.5.
Hot Rugby world Cup favourite New Zealand is a runaway No.1 on the rankings, but Connolly insisted the Wallabies would be a justified No.2 spot if results were to go their way on Saturday.
"I don't see how it can't be legitimate," Connolly said after backline kingpins Steve Larkham and Matt Giteau both ran sharply at Ballymore training yesterday.
"We played South Africa three times last year, the Irish twice, and closed the gap on the All Blacks in our last two meetings."
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Connolly, if you honestly believe that then you are a bigger fool than i ever imagined, seriosly, we are not even close to the all blacks, south africa would kill us at the moment and if the irish played us, or even a full strength welsh team, well we would be up against it...You are seriously deluded at the moment, i hope you said this tongue in cheek...
Proudly bought to you by a brewery somewhere....
His tongue was definitely in his cheek, his foot put it there.
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"He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty." – Lao Tzu
We wont get a real sense of the Wallabies capability until the tri-nations matches - against full strength teams.
NZ papers and NZRU are complaining about half-baked teams being sent for tests.
Actually, Connoly may be onto something - historically
Just had a quick look at RWC stats (IRB site) and for all RWC games NZ and AUS are 1 and 2 respectively for: most tries scored, most points scored, most conversions scored.
England only top the table for penalties scored and drop goals(their prefered match winning tactics).
So - RWC stats also suggest that NZ is #1 and Aust #2
?is that a faint whiff of hope I smell?
Last edited by hopep; 30-05-07 at 10:43. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Except the stat that accounts for the number of World Cups wonOriginally Posted by hopep
well you did actually have it right NZ 1 - Australia 2
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excellent observation - I forgot for a moment.
For those (like me) who didn't really understand the ranking system used, check out http://www.irb.com/EN/World+Rankings...g+Explanation/.
Basically, each match is a zero sum game - whatever ranking points the winning team gets are taken off the ranking of the losing team. There is no credit given for the ranking of the opposition, so the question has to be whether France is ranked as it is because it plays 6 nations while the SANZAR nations swap points amongst themselves.
(Actually, they look good and all, but losing to England and twice at home to NZ - hell, we can do that!!!)
Andy S
You're not the only one who doesn't understand how the rankings work - By my reckoning Knuckles doesn't either... If NZ beats France and Aus beats Wales this weekend, the IRB ranking positions won't change at all!
The way the points are calculated, with home advantage factored in, both host countries are more than 10 points ahead of their visitors which negates any points movement.
Current IRB rankings:
1 NEW ZEALAND 94.59
2 FRANCE 85.66
3 AUSTRALIA 85.55
8 WALES 76.26
This weekend:
AUS (on 85.55 points) at home -vs- WAL (on 76.26 points)
AUS WAL
If AUS win by 1-15 points 85.55 76.26
If AUS win by more than 15 85.55 76.26
If result is a draw 84.55 77.26
If WAL win by 1-15 points 83.55 78.26
If WAL win by more than 15 82.55 79.26
NZL (on 94.59 points) at home -vs- FRA (on 85.66 points)
NZL FRA
If NZL win by 1-15 points 94.59 85.66
If NZL win by more than 15 94.59 85.66
If result is a draw 93.59 86.66
If FRA win by 1-15 points 92.59 87.66
If FRA win by more than 15 91.59 88.66
Source: www.pickandgo.info