The IRB World Rankings saw a dramatic change as 20 countries dropped places and 19 improved their positions as a result of the matches this weekend.

At the top, whilst New Zealand and South Africa recorded victories over Wales and Italy respectively to maintain the top two positions, Australia dropped from third to fourth after suffering a 21-20 defeat to England at the ANZ Stadium.

Having dropped 1.88 rating points, Australia sit outside of the top three for the first time since June 2008, and France move into the top three, their highest position since October 2007, despite not kicking a ball.

England’s first victory over Australia since the 2007 Rugby World Cup and their first in the southern hemisphere since the 2003 RWC had no affect on their sixth position, but it has closed the gap on Ireland in fifth to just .79 rating points, with Ireland playing Australia next weekend.

The Top Rankings are as follows:

IRB World Rankings – 21  June  2010

Position (last week)	Member Union	Rating Point
1(1)	NEW ZEALAND	91.68
2(2)	SOUTH AFRICA	89.46
3(4)	FRANCE	84.91
4(3)	AUSTRALIA	83.83
5(5)	IRELAND	82.61
6(6)	ENGLAND	81.82
7(9)	SCOTLAND	79.81
8(8)	WALES	78.58
9(7)	ARGENTINA	77.54
10(10)	FIJI	76.25

Scotland were the biggest movers in the top 10 after a second successive victory over Argentina gave them their first ever series victory in the southern hemisphere.

The 13-9 victory at the Estadio Jose Maria Minella thanks to lock Jim Hamilton’s first international try means Scotland gained 1.34 rating points and move from ninth to seventh in the rankings, with Argentina dropping below Wales into ninth as a result of the defeat although they will look to bounce back against France next weekend.

Namibia’s Nations Cup reward

In the second round of the ANZ Pacific Nations Cup 2010, Asian Five Nations champions Japan climbed one place to 12th having gained .50 rating points from their 31-23 defeat of Samoa which was just their second ever victory over the Pacific Islanders.

Samoa’s first ever defeat to Japan in the PNC saw them drop the same amount of rating points and move from 12th to 13th in the rankings.

The other match in the ANZ PNC saw Fiji record their second victory of the tournament in a dramatic 41-38 triumph over Tonga. The result means Fiji remain in 10th, although Tonga move from 17th to 16th due to Georgia’s loss to Namibia in the IRB Nations Cup.

Namibia were the only side to end the IRB Nations Cup with a 100% record and clinched the title for the first time after the 21-16 victory over fellow RWC qualifiers Georgia.

The victory was Namibia’s first against Georgia and the result saw them gain 1.71 rating points and move from 22nd to 20th in the IRB World Rankings, whilst Georgia fell two places to 17th, with Tonga and USA moving above them.

Russia also climbed one place from 19th to 18th after their 38-19 victory over Uruguay in the Churchill Cup gained them 1.16 rating points, with Uruguay dropping two places to 22nd.

Biggest movers in CAR

In the Victoria Cup Zimbabwe lost 24-15 to Uganda and dropped three places to 51st, with Malta, Sweden and Papua New Guinea all climbing one.

Despite scoring three tries through Fortune Kipendo, Zacks Tondoro and Tafadzwa Mhende, Zimbabwe were unable to hold off the challenge of Uganada who play Kenya next week.

Tries from Michael Wokorach, Timothy Mudoola and Brian Odong helped the Cranes record victory in the tri-nations Victoria Cup and gain .38 rating points to climb two places to 42nd in the IRB World Rankings.

Senegal are the biggest climbers this week, however, after their 21-6 victory over Ivory Coast in the CAR Trophy. They gained 1.71 rating points and climbed seven places to 56th, whilst Ivory Coast fell five places to 50th after their second defeat in the week having already lost 60-0 to Morocco.

Morocco climb six places to 25th, having gained 3.05 rating points after beating Ivory Coast 60-0 and Tunisia 29-6, whilst Tunisia also fall five places to 34th due to their defeat to Morocco.