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Rugby League World Rankings Announced
MardoThe Rugby League International Federation has raised a few eyebrows after releasing the latest official world rankings.
Despite losing the RLWC final, Australia is still ranked number one in the world, followed by current World Champions, New Zealand.  England, who had a disapointing World Cup, are third while the French managed to hold onto to fifth spot despite their poor World Cup, just ahead of PNG.  All in all this should make for an interesting four nations later this year.
There were a few surprises in the lower rankings.  I was surprised to see my old team the Japan Samurais make the top 20 again, coming in at 17.  I would also like to see the USA (ranked 15) play Ireland (ranked 7) because the Tomahawks have a very good winning ratio against the Wolfhounds.
It is safe to say in the top 10 the rankings are pretty accurate, but after that, with little regular competition a lot of the figures would appear to me, guesswork.

2008 WORLD CUP TEAMS:
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. France
6. PNG
7. Ireland
8. Tonga
9. Scotland
10. Samoa
PARTICIPATION IN 2008 WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION:
11. Lebanon
12. Wales
13. Russia
14. Cook Islands
15. USA
16. Serbia
17. Japan

Article by Mardo Gray
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Comments (7)
7 Saturday, 12 June 2010 08:01
Shane
Sorry KUMULS.But Fiji Reached the Semi-Final in the World Cup...
6 Friday, 06 November 2009 11:01
Mardo Gray
I am not sure if the RLIF will be doing rankings again any time soon, history would suggest not. However, the Kumuls should be in the 4 nations next year, and I for one hope they get at least one home game.
5 Monday, 02 November 2009 06:36
Jimmie
I wonder what the excuse will be this time...now Police gunshots, no crowd violence....the two weekends of perfect football in eth Pacific Cup proved once and for all that even without our big guns and fielding a young side we beat Tonga fair and squar 44-14 and then Cook Islands 42-12. Fiji we beat them in two test. So will the Kumuls be given 4th place. We love teh sport and despite our lack of proper support technically such as teh likes of overseas players and countries, we managed to keep on trucking....If anything the League here restores lost Pryde that Rugby Union has always failed to do in recent years. Congratulations to the Kumuls Making the for nations!!!! Well done.
4 Monday, 26 October 2009 09:26
Mardo Gray
We have to play games in all countries to be fair.
personally though, I am wondering what will happen if the Cook Islands do pull of the RL surprise of the year and win the Pacific Cup?
3 Sunday, 25 October 2009 22:23
John B
Dear PNG Kumul,

Agreed that Fiji got beaten by PNG. However, how did you miss the gunshots and public hostility that was accompanying the first match whose score you trumpet?

That test aside, the entire venue should be scrapped from RL's list!
2 Wednesday, 05 August 2009 21:26
Mardo Gray
Dear Kumul Fan.

I have to agree with you. I think there are many teams in the rankings that could feel hard done by.

I think this is more due to the lack of games to properly use to judge the rankings, and that the rankings are not updated often.

Hopefully the RLIF will start at least ranking annually, and in future there will be more International matches for teams in Europe and the pacific (but very few teams willing to travel to Japan, unfortunately)

All the best.
MG
1 Friday, 31 July 2009 09:14
Administrator

PNG should have been ranked above French or Fiji or even England.Recently last week in PNG, the Fiji national team toured PNG.Fiji got beaten by PNG Kumuls in the first match 52-10 and in the second match, PNG KUMULS again defeated Fiji 14-2 and in the world cup PNG almost defeated England,and in the world cup quallifier PNG defeated French too. GO! PNG GO!

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