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All Blacks loss means Wales are unofficially top of World Rugby's rankings

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sun, 11 Aug 2019, 10:55AM
(Photo / AP)
(Photo / AP)

All Blacks loss means Wales are unofficially top of World Rugby's rankings

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sun, 11 Aug 2019, 10:55AM

The All Blacks are no longer the number one side in world rugby.

Wales have unofficially taken that honour following Australia's 47-26 win over the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship last night.

The All Blacks have provisionally slipped off the top spot for the first time in 10 years following their controversial loss.
However it could be shortlived if Wales don't beat England at Twickenham on Monday morning (NZT) in the first of two tests dubbed as 'warm-ups' ahead of the World Cup.

Wales will officially be ranked top on Tuesday (NZT) if they win.

South Africa were the last side to be ranked above the All Blacks as number one in the world, in November 2009, with New Zealand since winning the 2011 and 2015 World Cups.

Warren Gatland's side are currently boast a 14-match winning sequence, including a rare win against Australia in November, 2019.

This includes a third Grand Slam since the New Zealander took charge of Wales ahead of the 2008 Six Nations.

The last of those triumphs came as Wales won the 2019 with victory over Ireland in Cardiff in March.

Australia's Reece Hodge is swamped by team mates after scoring a try against New Zealand during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia. Photo / AP

Australia's Reece Hodge is swamped by team mates after scoring a try against New Zealand during their rugby union test match in Perth, Australia. Photo / AP

Wales officially being ranked number one in the world would be the first time since the system was introduced in 2003.

Following the 16-16 draw to South Africa in Wellington, the All Blacks held a 1.58 point lead in the rankings over Wales. But last night's loss in Perth saw the All Blacks drop by 1.66 points and into second spot, according to Wales Online.

Last month Hansen said the rankings mean nothing ahead of a World Cup.

"World ranking is an outcome of what you do so it has nothing to do with the World Cup because you don't win the World Cup if you're the number one team," Hansen following his side's tight win over Argentina.

He says they've shown that many times, particularly in 2007 when they were entered number one and exited in the quarter-finals.

The All Blacks have been on top spot for almost a decade. They moved to number one on November 16, 2009, taking the spot from the Springboks after South Africa beat New Zealand three straight times earlier that season.

The rugby ranking system was brought in by World Rugby just before the 2003 World Cup. Since then the All Blacks have held the top spot for more than 13 years.

 

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