Official RBS 6 Nations Rugby : Ireland fall to fifth in IRB Rankings

News

RBS 6 Nations match video highlights

Watch the latest Video highlights

The Official Championship App

Keep on top of all the action through the official app. Includes video, news, history, stats and more...

RBS 6 Nations Live Challenge App 2013

Click here to learn more!

Official Online Store

RBS 6 Nations full kit range now available online

Official Magazine 2013

Click here to Download

Declan Kidney's side are no longer the highest ranked northern hemisphere side

Ireland fall to fifth in IRB Rankings

18 February 2010, 12:08 pm

By Sportsbeat

Ireland's defeat to France in Paris has seen him slip to fifth in the latest IRB World Rankings with Les Bleus leapfrogging them into fourth.

Tries from William Servat, Yannick Jauzion and Clement Poitrenaud, as well as 15 points added from the boot of Morgan Parra, lifted les Blues to 33-10 victory at the Stade de France.

And not only did the victory end Ireland’s hopes of back-to-back Grand Slams, it also meant they swapped places with France in the rankings.

France now take Ireland’s mantle of being the highest placed northern hemisphere nation in the rankings and have opened up a gap of over one rating point over Ireland.

Marc Lievremont's side now trail third place Australia by a similar margin, and are seven points adrift of the number one side New Zealand.

Ireland would have gone third with a first victory at the Stade de France since March 2000, but a first loss in 15 months means Declan Kidney's men now sit judy above England ahead of Saturday’s clash at Twickenham.