IRB World Rankings

[Crowd]

So the IRB World Rankings were released on December 10 as everyone knows, I'm fairly new to Rugby Union as a supporter and rarely focus on the minority countries that are playing the game. I just focus on the Super Rugby and big Internationals.

There are 100 countries listed: http://www.irb.com/rankings/full.html

I was just wondering how many of these nations play regular internationals?

Like when was the last time countries like American Samoa, China & Guam (just to name a few) played more than three internationals a year?

Going through the list to me it looks like that the top 20 nations play regular internationals while the other 80 don't. Is this true?

Also does these rankings don't take into consideration Rugby 7's do they?

 

[cyclopath]

Welcome.
I think you summed it up pretty well, and no, 7s does not count.

 

[stoff]

I know from a mate who is playing Laos at the moment, that Laotian national team plays a couple of games a year in the Division 5 Asian 5 Nations. They won the comp this year and have been promoted to Div 4. Funnily enough I ran into the Bruneian national side on their way to this years tournament (where Laos gave them a hiding) at Bandar Seri Bagwan Airport on my way to the UK earlier this year. Two games seems to be the standard number of international games in the lower divisions in Asia.

If anyone is interested, their local comp in Vientianne comprises of two teams - 1 made up predominately of expats (a lot of French) and one is essentially the national side.

 

[Crowd]

Welcome.
I think you summed it up pretty well, and no, 7s does not count.

Cheers for that. Thanks.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Australia's IRB ranking on the 10/12/2012: 86.87
Australia's IRB ranking on the 09/12/2013: 86.88

I'll take that as an improvement.

 

[Braveheart81]

Australia's IRB ranking on the 10/12/2012: 86.87
Australia's IRB ranking on the 09/12/2013: 86.88

I'll take that as an improvement.

One advantage of NZ being so far ahead of everyone now is that we lose very little points when we lose to them.

 

[RoffsChoice]

One advantage of NZ being so far ahead of everyone now is that we lose very little points when we lose to them.

If we can get that "third" bledisloe before TRC, not a single point loss before South Africa!