All Blacks improve rankings total
New Zealand’s last-gasp win over Australia in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane sees the world’s number one team improve their position at the top of the IRB World Rankings by 0.55 of a point.
The All Blacks are now on 93.15 points – 2.74 more than nearest rivals South Africa, with England third and Australia fourth. Australia’s place in the top four could be under threat during November, as Ireland are now only 1.09 points adrift in fifth.
Australia will travel to Europe with a new coach at the helm after Ewen McKenzie resigned after the Brisbane loss.
In the European Nations Cup, there were wins for Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Norway and Slovenia.
Poland went top in ENC Division 1B after a tense 9-8 win over Netherlands in Warsaw. Netherlands scored the only try of the match but three penalties from fly half David Banaszek proved enough to hand Poland their second win of the campaign. Poland gain 0.93 of a ranking point and move up to 35th in the world, one place behind the Dutch.
Also in Division 1B, Sweden crashed to a 45-0 home defeat to Ukraine – the first time they have been ‘nilled’ in international rugby for 10 years. They slip from 44th to 50th as a result. Sweden’s place is taken by Lithuania who were the biggest climbers at the weekend after a 34-15 win in Andorra. Full back Vytaras Bloskys scored a hat-trick in the first Division 2B fixture of the season.
Slovenia got off to a winning start in Division 2C with a convincing 48-3 victory over Serbia. The win was worth 1.06 ranking points and moves them up four places to 80th.
Norway and Finland remain unchanged in 97th and 98th despite a 20-12 win for the Norwegians when the two sides met at the Bislett Stadium, Oslo in Division 2D. All of Norway points were scored by Kristoffer Borsheim.
Courtesy of IRB
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