End of year Rankings

[mikkolos]

As far as i know there aren't any more internationals this year, so here are my world rankings going only on this years results.​

AUSTRALIA152
NEWZEALAND136
ENGLAND86
FRANCE56
WALES27
IRELAND26
RUSSIA15
SCOTLAND10
COOK ISLANDS8
TONGA7

 

[bartman]

Ten teams... could this current ten be the ten that end up making it through to contest the '08 World Cup?

*Minus one if PNG get free entry...*

 

[Big Bunny]

As far as i know there aren't any more internationals this year, so here are my world rankings going only on this years results.

AUSTRALIA152NEW ZEALAND136ENGLAND86FRANCE56WALES27IRELAND26RUSSIA15SCOTLAND10COOK ISLANDS8TONGA7​

Go back to the drawing board and try again. No logical calculation method should ever place Russia ahead of any of those other nations. Tonga would slaughter them.

 

[Calixte]

Based (primarily) on results in 2004-2005, the top ten international sides in rugby league would probably be (as at 27.11.05)*:-

1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. England
4. France
5. Wales
6. Papua New Guinea
7. Ireland
8. USA
9. Western Samoa
10. Lebanon

Notes:-

1. NZ's defeat of Australia in the Tri-Nations '05 gives it top spot.
2. England's position is based largely on GB's results in, especially, 2004 (as English players comprised the majority of that squad).
3. France's strong performances against Australia and NZ in the last two years' secure it fourth spot.
4. Wales as runner-up to France in the European Nations' Cup this year gets fifth.
5. PNG's good performances against Australia - without any of their top players from overseas - gets them sixth position.
6. Ireland's good results in the ENC '05, continued strength of Brian Carney as one of the world's best players and strong performances despite limited exposure since their excellent 2000 World Cup secure seventh.
7. The USA's performance against Australia 2004, which would have been the biggest upset ever in international rugby league, sees it claim a cherished spot in the top eight.
8. Western Samoa's traditional pedigree at this level sees it retain a spot in the top ten.
9. Lebanon's star players (when available) mean it scrapes into the top ten sides in the world.

Honourable mentions to Scotland, Tonga, Fiji and Russia.

 

[brendothejet]

western who?

How can teams that havent played an international, or at least an international against a decent side get in there?

 

[Calixte]

Western Samoa (cf: American Samoa).

The team that played in the 1995 RL World Cup (they lost a magnificent game against Wales to narrowly avoid making the 1995 WC semi-finals) and, like Tonga, can still draw on a stack of New Zealand, British and Australian based players of Samoan heritage.

Samoa also played in the last four union world cups (although I will stand corrected - they may have played as Manu Samoa more recently).

 

[bender]

Does anyone have a link to a full list of internationals played this year?

 

[brendothejet]

Western Samoa (cf: American Samoa).

The team that played in the 1995 RL World Cup (they lost a magnificent game against Wales to narrowly avoid making the 1995 WC semi-finals) and, like Tonga, can still draw on a stack of New Zealand, British and Australian based players of Samoan heritage.

Samoa also played in the last four union world cups (although I will stand corrected - they may have played as Manu Samoa more recently).

Sarcasm detector....thats a useful invention.

just in case you mssed it second time around, I was refering to Western Samoa's lack of recent match time. a wc quarter final ten years ago is hardly basis for a current ranking.

 

[Hugo Tantamount-Stirrup]

What happened to Great Britain?

Alright, we know... :?

 

[bender]

Western Samoa (cf: American Samoa).

The team that played in the 1995 RL World Cup (they lost a magnificent game against Wales to narrowly avoid making the 1995 WC semi-finals) and, like Tonga, can still draw on a stack of New Zealand, British and Australian based players of Samoan heritage.

Samoa also played in the last four union world cups (although I will stand corrected - they may have played as Manu Samoa more recently).

My recollection of the 1995 World Cup was that Western Samoa were beaten by about 40 or so by Wales in the quarter finals. I could be wrong, but i think Western Samoa drew or lost by a point or two to Tonga and New Zealand.

Incidentally, Samoa have played an international against Tonga this year, so both should definitely have earnt a World ranking.

 

[brendothejet]

Yeah thats right because one international is more than enough to judge them by.

 

[Calixte]

Sarcasm detector....thats a useful invention.

just in case you mssed it second time around, I was refering to Western Samoa's lack of recent match time. a wc quarter final ten years ago is hardly basis for a current ranking.

Sorry - I do recognise sarcasm, just weren't sure if you were completely clueless or just largely clueless. I see it is the latter.

As for Samoa's recent internationals, someone has already pointed out the game v Tonga this year (won by Tonga).

My point was - and refer to the list and the word "pedigree" - is that Samoa can probably produce more quality players of Samoan heritage than Tonga can produce quality players of Tongan heritage.

Although you would need some games closer to 2008 to make the decision (hence the need for qualifying tournaments).

Otherwise I take it my list appears satisfactory, o' kind sir?

 

[Calixte]

My recollection of the 1995 World Cup was that Western Samoa were beaten by about 40 or so by Wales in the quarter finals. I could be wrong, but i think Western Samoa drew or lost by a point or two to Tonga and New Zealand.

Incidentally, Samoa have played an international against Tonga this year, so both should definitely have earnt a World ranking.

Samoa were beaten by Wales by about 14 points in the 1995 RLWC.

But the score was not a true reflection of the game and Wales had one of its most passionate crowds ever cheering it on at a packed ground in Swansea.

 

[brendothejet]

My point was - and refer to the list and the word "pedigree" - is that Samoa can probably produce more quality players of Samoan heritage than Tonga can produce quality players of Tongan heritage.

Although you would need some games closer to 2008 to make the decision (hence the need for qualifying tournaments).

Otherwise I take it my list appears satisfactory, o' kind sir?

So what is it gonna be?

Am I right in saying that they need to have played some games in order to be ranked or not? You're tripping on your own points now mate.

If you're going to start ranking them on 'pedigree' you can throw every pacific nation in there and forget europe. Plenty of Samoans, Tongans, Fijian, PNG blokes end up playing for NZ or Aus, yet I don't see all those countries listed.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Western Samoa (cf: American Samoa).

The team that played in the 1995 RL World Cup (they lost a magnificent game against Wales to narrowly avoid making the 1995 WC semi-finals) and, like Tonga, can still draw on a stack of New Zealand, British and Australian based players of Samoan heritage.

Samoa also played in the last four union world cups (although I will stand corrected - they may have played as Manu Samoa more recently).

Western Samoa is the old name for Samoa . America Samoa (Tutui'la) is a territory of the USA on the eastern islands of Samoa .
Manu Samoa is the nickname of the Samoa international rugby team .

 

[Calixte]

So what is it gonna be?

Am I right in saying that they need to have played some games in order to be ranked or not? You're tripping on your own points now mate.

If you're going to start ranking them on 'pedigree' you can throw every pacific nation in there and forget europe. Plenty of Samoans, Tongans, Fijian, PNG blokes end up playing for NZ or Aus, yet I don't see all those countries listed.

I see you need glasses - all of those countries, Samoa, Fiji, PNG and Tonga, the latter as an Honourable Mention - are listed in my first post.

As for tripping, everything I have said to date remains correct. I have not tripped.

With their current players available, the list of ten I nominated is very close to the best ten rugby league playing nations at this date - the notes weren't a full explanation, just a guide to understanding.

 

[brendothejet]

If you quoted it all then you would see the reason i stated that you are tripping on your points is because you said they needed to play more matches to be judged. The very thing I am stating is the flaw in your rankings.

Its not just your rankings mate, its anyones rankings.

You cannot rate anyone outside of Aus, NZ, the brit isles and france because they simply never play enough games. especially against quality sides.

This is all pie in the sky stuff...

 

[Calixte]

I agree with your last point, mostly.

 

[sooperdooper]

NZ may have beaten the Aussies but they are not number one in ther world, seriously.

if they can win the anzac test next year i will admit they are world number 1. atm aussies are still number 1.

 

[brendothejet]

being number one in league is about dominating and dominating consistantly.

when NZ do this (or britain ((or in my dreams france)) you can sy they are number one.

for now they are not. they are the tri nations champions.