[6] The team with the lower “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” may be termed the “Underdog”. Below is a list of the best and worst ranking positions for nations that have appeared in the Rugby World Cup: According to World Rugby the "top side in the World will normally have a rating above 90",[3] however, this is not always the case. With a number of high profile matches lined up against higher-ranked opposition in 2020, this could be another big year for Japanese rugby. A win against a very highly ranked opponent is a considerably greater achievement than a win against a low-rated opponent, so the strength of the opposing team is a factor. This is because when a highly ranked team plays a lowly ranked team and manages to beat them by over 50 points, it does not necessarily indicate how either team will perform in the future. For the rugby league rankings, see, "England top IRB rankings, Ireland third", Official World Rankings for Women's Teams, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=World_Rugby_Rankings&oldid=975414631, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 August 2020, at 11:18. When the system was introduced England were the top team and maintained that position following victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. They are expressed as a percentage of the Number 1 ranked nation (i.e. November will see history created for match officials with Nigel Owens set to become the first to take charge of 100 test matches and Joy Neville the first female to perform TMO duties for a major men's international competition. 2. Other criteria include the relative strength of each team, the margin of victory, and an allowance for home advantage. That position is shared by Downing Street and was reinforced by the sports minister Nigel Huddleston, who told parliament on Thursday: “Where it can, we will expect the top tiers of professional sport to look at ways it can support itself, with the government focusing on those most in need.” Related: Never waste a crisis: Covid-19 trauma can force sport to change for good | Barney Ronay Continue reading…, Premiership clubs veto Twickenham final after RFU demanded £500k to stage the match without fans, RFU says grass roots fixtures must wait until 2021 due to coronavirus, ‘I surprise myself’: Sidestepping Cheslin Kolbe turns sights on Exeter | Michael Aylwin, Rugby clubs blast Rishi Sunak’s new job retention scheme, Premier League told to help smaller clubs as government outlines sport plan. Any match that is not a full international between two member countries does not count at all. Two weeks later New Zealand returned to the top of the summit following Ireland's victory over Wales in Cardiff in a World Cup 2019 warm-up test. New Zealand often dominate the standings, while Wales have, at times, overtaken Ireland and England in the last year as the best performers from the northern hemisphere. England is breathing down their necks in third, and the World Cup finalists will feel they have a point to prove after losing in convincing fashion in the World Cup final. Because of this, ideally, any advantage that a side may have by playing in front of their home crowd is cancelled out. Rugby League. [5] The team with the higher “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” may be termed the “Favourite”. England first held the record at 93.99 on the 24 November 2003, following their World Cup win in Australia; however, New Zealand surpassed this on 28 August 2006 with a rating of 94.62, following their Tri Nations victory over South Africa in Pretoria. Points are doubled during the World Cup Finals to recognise the importance of this event, but all other international matches, friendly or competitive, are treated the same across the world. Since the rankings began, the winners of every edition of the World Cup have held the number 1 spot at the end of the tournament. If they become active again, they resume their previous rating. A point system is used, with points being awarded on the basis of the results of World Rugby-recognized international matches.