The latest release of the IRB World Rankings has seen Ireland drop to sixth, behind their World Cup Pool D rivals Argentina and France. The Pumas, who Ireland meet in Paris on September 30, are now ranked in the world’s top five for the first time.
Saturday’s 31-21 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield dropped Eddie O’Sullivan’s charges to sixth in the rankings, with Argentina moving in the opposite direction.
There is no change in the top four but Scotland’s victory over an understrength Irish side has seen Frank Hadden’s men return to the top 10. They have improved their rating by 1.56 points to 75.50, in comparison with eleventh-placed Samoa’s 74.97.
Ireland, who had a 0.09 advantage over Argentina before last weekend, have fallen by 1.56 points to 80.96 but will get a chance to make up ground before the World Cup with a warm-up match against ninth-ranked Italy at Ravenhill on Friday week.
IRB WORLD RANKINGS (as of August 13):
(1) New Zealand 93.38 rating points
(2) Australia 87.03
(3) France 86.35
(4) South Africa 84.85
(5) Argentina 82.43
(6) IRELAND 80.96
(7) England 78.89
(8) Wales 75.61
(9) Italy 75.53
(10) Scotland 75.50
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