TRI-NATIONS

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All Blacks reclaim summit spot

Monday 18th August 2008

Fine score: Carter rises to AB team-mates

New Zealand have another reason to celebrate their 19-0 Tri-Nations win over South Africa as that result propels them back to the IRB World Rankings summit.

The All Blacks had gone into the sixth match of the 2008 competition trailing the world champions by 0.95 rating points, but Graham Henry's side knew that victory at Newlands would see the sides swap places yet again this summer.

New Zealand had briefly regained the number one ranking they had lost during Rugby World Cup 2007 with their opening defeat of South Africa in Wellington last month, but losing to the Springboks the following week saw them return to second.

The 19-0 victory - the first time South Africa have failed to score at home in the history of the Tri-Nations - means that New Zealand now sit on top of the rankings with 91.21 rating points, more than three points clear of South Africa.

South Africa now have a cushion of 1.70 rating points over third ranked Australia, the side they now face in back to back Tests in Durban and Johannesburg as this year's Tri Nations enters the final third.

IRB World Rankings:
(Previous ranking in brackets)

1(2) New Zealand 91.21
2(1) South Africa 87.98
3(3) Australia 86.28
4(4) Argentina 83.36
5(5) England 83.16
6(6) Wales 80.12
7(7) France 78.99
8(8) Ireland 77.18
9(9) Scotland 76.92
10(10) Italy 75.57

With thanks to the IRB