Defeat to Italy at the Stadio Olimipico over the weekend has seen Ireland fall to ninth in the IRB World Rankings, which is their lowest ever position.
Four defeats in a row meant Ireland narrowly avoided the wooden spoon but there was no such luck in the rankings with the 22-15 defeat in Rome on Saturday dropping them below Samoa and Argentina to ninth.
Ireland's previous lowest position was eighth on a handful of occasions, but it could have been worse than ninth had Scotland not slipped to a 23-16 loss to France at the Stade de France in the final Six Nations match of 2013.
The other five nations all ended the Championship's final weekend in the place they began it, although in the cases of Wales and Italy significantly closer to the sides above them in England and Tonga.
Wales destroyed England's hopes of a first Grand Slam since 2003 with a dominant 30-3 victory at the Millennium Stadium to retain the title and slash the deficit between the two to just 0.36 rating points.
The heavy loss for England not only puts their mantle as the leading northern hemisphere nation under threat but also means their deficit to Australia in third has now grown to more than three rating points.
Italy's margin of victory over Ireland was not big enough to improve their position of twelfth, although they have closed to within four hundredths of Tonga above them, as well as only eight tenths behind Scotland in tenth.
IRB World Rankings
(Previous position in brackets)
1(1) New Zealand 90.08
2(2) South Africa 86.94
3(3) Australia 86.87
4(4) England 83.72
5(5) Wales 83.36
6(6) France 81.59
7(8) Samoa 78.71
8(9) Argentina 78.71
9(7) Ireland 78.05
10(10) Scotland 76.86
11(11) Tonga 76.10
12(12) Italy 76.06
13(13) Fiji 71.52
14(14) Canada 71.41
15(15) Japan 70.09
With thanks to the IRB
Comments
firepower says...
WELL DONE SAMOA!!
Posted 11:20 29th March 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Not the best time for Ireland, but why not cheer yourselves up by watching the way they played in November.
also bear in mind that the Irish provinces have crashed and burned in europe so the players must be jaded or something. Actually this really isn't a great time to have a tour of South Africa to look forward to. I suggest designer performance enhancing drugs as a wee pick me up. (ding! 9.5 on the Facetious-O-Meter) :)
Posted 13:00 27th March 2013
kennyisgay says...
Another momentous archivement by Dec.
Posted 20:20 19th March 2013
JamieTheProp says...
A timely reminder that being English isn't so bad! Could always be worse...
Posted 19:19 19th March 2013
atg77 says...
If you are talking about history, you have to look at it from the big picture, not just the six nations. that would include the five nations - which is the same thing as the six nations minus Italy. Since their first test in 1877, Scotland has won 66 tests to Ireland's 57, with five draws. Scotland leads Ireland in Grandslams 3-2 and in outright championship wins 14-10. We also have more Southern hemisphere scalps(OZ,SA,NZ)- again Scotland leading Ireland 14-13. Scotland also lead Ireland at the world cup, with a semi-final appearance and five quarters finals, compared to Ireland appearing in five quarter finals. INeed I provide any further evidence?
Posted 18:19 19th March 2013
Irishzimbabwean says...
Thanks 99call - top retort as usual.
Posted 10:35 19th March 2013
99call says...
missionary
Sorry but I cant agree with you statement that Ireland are over rated and historically over hyped
If you look at the overall 6n win loss table we've all played 70 games with France and England in the lead with 47 wins and Ireland just behind with 45 so considering we only won 1 game this year we were in second place going into this years 6n
Looking at Wales theyve won 37 which is just over 50% and thats with 3 GS and this years win which is 19 wins in 4 years so in the other 9 years they have won an average of 2 games a season.and an overall average of 2.8 games per season
Ireland have an average win rate of nearly 3.5 games per seaons with france and england 3.6 so considering we've only had one GS with the 1 title we've been one of the most consistent side in the NH so youre statement that we have good bursts is rubbish so before you start making sweeping statements at least look at the facts.
We're now in a transition period and we will go down but we'll be back
Posted 09:11 19th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
spike19 - agree with most of what you say. Regarding the physicality - we had it against the All Blacks in New Zealand in June and against South Africa for 60 mins. We must not regard our players as automatons - they must feel so lacking in motivation when leaving the positive environments of their provincial set ups, to enter Kidney world.
With Ferris out, O'Brien must play blindside to allow him to work with his ball carrying. The best Openside in Ireland for 18 months now has been Chris Henry but, of course, Kidney has to find room for O'Mahony - so puts O'Brien to openside where his game is diminished.
Agree entirely on Toner (and McCarthy to a lesser extent) - Dan Tuohy took on the All Blacks on their own patch successfully!
Ian Henderson is too slight for second row still - I would still like to see him perform consistently for Ulster, before we make too many early decisions on him!
Posted 07:05 19th March 2013
missionary says...
Ireland - over-rated for some time and over-hyped historically. Have good bursts here and there but always fail to live up to expectations. Great team to watch at times but flatter to deceive. Heaslip is a prime example. Ireland missed guys like Ferris. BOD - who can do no wrong gets cited for foul play. I haven't seen it so hopefully it won't be is sign off as he deserves better but sometimes what goes around comes around. Anyway, Ireland right now are average. Wouldn't expect many to make the tour to Australia.
Posted 21:44 18th March 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Atg77: guess you are not referring to the pro12 or HC... Or recent history in 6N.
Posted 21:18 18th March 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
3in4: I guess you name comes from you ambition to be 3rd in the British and Irish rankings?
Posted 21:15 18th March 2013
papachinzo says...
IRB Rankings, like all things IRB, are meaningless in the long run... bar New Zealand, the Rankings are all wrong.
Posted 21:07 18th March 2013
atg77 says...
3in4... enjoy it while it last because it won't. When Scotland get their midfeild sorted out we'll return to our historical dominance of the Irish.
Posted 19:48 18th March 2013
melkdave says...
Ireland couldnt expect anything else really,losing to teams above you in the rankings isnt as harmfull,But Ireland have lost to both Scotland and Italy ,as well so a drop has to be expected.In fact Ireland are a tad lucky they havent got the wooden spoon ,this year,Scotlands late try saving them that indignity
Posted 17:24 18th March 2013
99call says...
Cant expect anything else than a drop in the rankings, 1 win and a draw isnt good enough and I just suppose we can count ourselves lucky the RWC draw has already been done otherwise we'd be in serious trouble
I suppose the comedy element now is that England will have to deal with Wales and if it was based on the recent form then the english are going out of their own world cup, but its a long way down the line so who knows what state each team will be in by then
Hopefully we'll get a new coach and get the team on the up again as most of us have arent as easily satisified with our position as 3in4 is
Posted 16:05 18th March 2013
spike19 says...
In general Ireland look like they are being bullied at the contact area which is nothing new against England or France but now it seems everyone including Italy have a physical advantage. The Irish team need to bulk up because unlike the Allblacks they do not have the fitness, athleticism and skill levels required to supplement their lack of size.
I think one of the biggest losses has been Ferris and his ability to gain yards with those trade mark bulldozing runs of his. Although O'Brien is also a real gain line breaking player no one was ever trailing him when he made his breaks so the momentum was lost or he was isolated and turned over.
I'm not convinced with balance of the current back row O'Mahony for all is endeavour dose not have the bulk to make those meters like Ferris does. Heaslip is meant to be carrying as an 8 that is his core job but he seems to have lost that element of his game which he used to be so effective at.
It would have been good to see Henderson get a run a 6 as he has the size and physicality to cause real problems. Then their you could have two back-row players on the bench like O'Mahony and O'Donnell and shift Henderson to lock for the last 20 for a of bit impact.
Why on earth did Kidney select Toner, he is not an impact player and is barley making the Leinster XV. He does not offer a lot accept height, another poor decision from Kidney and maybe his last.
Posted 15:43 18th March 2013
spike19 says...
Back in doldrums for a few years!!!
Posted 15:28 18th March 2013
passtheball says...
Scotland, Italy and Tonga knocking on that door 3in4! Time for a big change.
Posted 13:31 18th March 2013
3in4 says...
We're above Scotland and that's all that matters to me.
Posted 12:51 18th March 2013