Australia are the brand new primary ranked crew in Males’s rugby league, overtaking New Zealand, England and Tonga after their World Cup win in Manchester final month, in accordance with the official Worldwide Rugby League (IRL) rankings introduced at this time.
New Zealand stay second, however Samoa additionally bounce England and their nearest rivals, shifting to 3rd. England retain fourth spot, Tonga are fifth and PNG leapfrog Fiji into sixth.
“This is great news,” mentioned Mal Meninga, the victorious Kangaroos coach from the World Cup. “I feel that we thoroughly deserve to get our No.1 ranking back considering the increased challenges now with the rise of the Pacific nations”.
The Jillaroos stay primary within the Ladies’s Rankings after third consecutive World Cup triumph, whereas England overtake France within the Wheelchair checklist after having defeated them within the Last.
“We are ecstatic to still be in No.1,” mentioned Jillaroos coach Brad Donald.
“Back in 2016 the group came together and those players were the ones who said they wanted the team to be the best in the world; to put the focus on women’s rugby league and help grow a domestic competition in Australia, which we did in 2018.
“As we see the emergence of the NRLW, the great depth of players and the participation rates from under 6s to open age women it is a credit to all involved in growing the game.””
The Kangaroos’ rise was considerably predictable, having received the event, however places to mattress one of many long-running sagas in worldwide footy: many in Australia had been outraged that they weren’t prime of the pile previous to the event regardless of not really taking part in any matches.
Australia didn’t play a males’s senior worldwide between their defeat to Tonga in 2019 and their win over Fiji on the opening day of the 2022 version of the World Cup, and had solely a 50% report for the reason that final event, having additionally misplaced to the Kiwis in 2018.
In the identical time interval, New Zealand had a 50/50 report towards Australia, plus a 3-2 report towards England/Nice Britain and a 2022 midseason Take a look at win over Tonga, giving them a stronger weighting.
“On behalf of the IRL I would like to congratulate the Australian men’s and women’s teams and the England wheelchair team,” mentioned IRL chair Troy Grant.
“All three groups proved they’re the most effective of their self-discipline with unbeaten data on the not too long ago accomplished World Cup in England, culminating in victory of their finals at Previous Trafford and Manchester Central.
“Within the case of England, additionally they overcame France – the earlier No.1 ranked wheelchair crew – in a mid-season Take a look at earlier than once more triumphing towards the defending world champions within the World Cup last.
“For the Kangaroos and Jillaroos, the World Cup marked a welcome return to the worldwide area after a hiatus since 2019 on account of COVID restrictions and followers sit up for seeing the world champions in motion in 2023.
“Congratulations to the other teams who have risen up the IRL World Rankings, including Samoa, whose run to the men’s World Cup final sparked remarkable scenes around the world”.
Lebanon additionally shot up the rankings after a profitable World Cup, shifting to eighth forward of France, Wales and Eire. Greece and Scotland, who competed within the World Cup, stay beneath Serbia, who performs extra internationals in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and thus retain factors regardless of not qualifying for the event.
