sea_point wrote:

Fourdogs wrote: However, if Australia defeat Wales, then Samoa - the first of the Pacific Island nations to occupy a top eight ranking - and Argentina will leapfrog the Welsh to consign them to the third band with Italy, Tonga and Scotland.</strong>

As poor as the Welsh have been, the Aussies are notoriously flakey come the end of their Autumn. They would have hoped to have done better against France, but in beating the Poms and struggling over the line against the Azzuri they'll al;ready have their bags packed for the end of season beach holiday...

If I'm right and they fold against a pumped up but injury ravaged Wales and the Puma's remain as third seeds, there's only a one in four chance of avoiding them in our group for the next RWC Finals.... :blink:

I was thinking the same thing yesterday when I was looking at the rankings. It will be a tough group for whoever is in with Wales/Argentina, and at this moment of time I would rather be put in the same potential group as Argentina. Not getting put in the same pool as the above would be a result in itself.

sea_point wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: I'm pretty certain that the matches this weekend coming have no impact on the draw for the RWC.
The draw is based on the rankings as of this weekend, and all next weekends match impacts are the current world rankings.
The draw will be based on the current rankings

Afraid you're incorrect CC, the piece posted by Fourdogs is from the IRB site, so with the draw Monday week the Wal V Aus result will be included :

www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/newsid=2064446.html

Happy to be corrected. Someone lied to me at the weekend so

ConnachtCows wrote: I'm pretty certain that the matches this weekend coming have no impact on the draw for the RWC.
The draw is based on the rankings as of this weekend, and all next weekends match impacts are the current world rankings.
The draw will be based on the current rankings

Afraid you're incorrect CC, the piece posted by Fourdogs is from the IRB site, so with the draw Monday week the Wal V Aus result will be included :

www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/newsid=2064446.html

I'm pretty certain that the matches this weekend coming have no impact on the draw for the RWC.
The draw is based on the rankings as of this weekend, and all next weekends match impacts are the current world rankings.
The draw will be based on the current rankings

Fourdogs wrote: Latest IRB seedings anounced this morning.

Ireland are up to 6th.

IRB World Rankings - 26 November 2012
1(1) NEW ZEALAND 92.91
2(2) SOUTH AFRICA 86.94
3(3) AUSTRALIA 86.31
4(4) FRANCE 85.07
5(5) ENGLAND 81.07
6(7) IRELAND 80.22
7( WALES 78.95
8(9) SAMOA 78.71
9(6) ARGENTINA 78.71
10(11) ITALY 76.24
11(12) TONGA 76.10
12(10) SCOTLAND 75.83

With France filling the fourth spot after the southern hemisphere triumvirate of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, fifth-placed England were left to rue a November campaign where their rating points have gone down.

A 16-15 defeat by the Springboks, with the All Blacks to come at Twickenham this weekend, mean RWC 2015 hosts England will be in the second band of teams. Who will join them, though, in anyone’s guess.

France, whose win over Australia on 10 November had previously lifted them above England into the four, put further daylight between themselves and the chasing pack with a 22-14 win over Samoa.

Samoa’s creditable performance leaves them poised to join the second seeding bracket for England 2015 at the expense of Argentina, who were the big casualties of the weekend – but all is not yet lost.

Ireland’s resounding 46-24 win over Los Pumas on Saturday secured their place in the second band of seeds for next Monday’s draw.

Among the criteria for calculating the rankings is defeat by more than 15 points and the margin of Ireland’s win leaves Argentina out of the top eight.

While Ireland rise one place to sixth, Los Pumas drop three places to ninth with Wales and Samoa rising one place. Samoa and Argentina both have a rating of 78.71 but when extended to 15 decimal places the difference between the two is less than one thousandth of a rating point.

As the rankings stand at the moment, the bands for the RWC 2015 draw would be:

Band 1: New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, France
Band 2: England, Ireland, Wales, Samoa
Band 3: Argentina, Italy, Tonga, Scotland

With Wales to face Australia this Saturday, there could yet be a twist in the tale. The Welsh, 33-10 losers against world champions New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium, still have their own fate in their hands.

A win or a draw against Australia would see them retain their present seventh place and join England, Ireland and Samoa in the second band of seeds, with Samoa in eighth and Argentina in the third band.

However, if Australia defeat Wales, then Samoa - the first of the Pacific Island nations to occupy a top eight ranking - and Argentina will leapfrog the Welsh to consign them to the third band with Italy, Tonga and Scotland.

As poor as the Welsh have been, the Aussies are notoriously flakey come the end of their Autumn. They would have hoped to have done better against France, but in beating the Poms and struggling over the line against the Azzuri they'll al;ready have their bags packed for the end of season beach holiday...

If I'm right and they fold against a pumped up but injury ravaged Wales and the Puma's remain as third seeds, there's only a one in four chance of avoiding them in our group for the next RWC Finals.... :blink:

Latest IRB seedings anounced this morning.

Ireland are up to 6th.

IRB World Rankings - 26 November 2012
1(1) NEW ZEALAND 92.91
2(2) SOUTH AFRICA 86.94
3(3) AUSTRALIA 86.31
4(4) FRANCE 85.07
5(5) ENGLAND 81.07
6(7) IRELAND 80.22
7( WALES 78.95
8(9) SAMOA 78.71
9(6) ARGENTINA 78.71
10(11) ITALY 76.24
11(12) TONGA 76.10
12(10) SCOTLAND 75.83

With France filling the fourth spot after the southern hemisphere triumvirate of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, fifth-placed England were left to rue a November campaign where their rating points have gone down.

A 16-15 defeat by the Springboks, with the All Blacks to come at Twickenham this weekend, mean RWC 2015 hosts England will be in the second band of teams. Who will join them, though, in anyone’s guess.

France, whose win over Australia on 10 November had previously lifted them above England into the four, put further daylight between themselves and the chasing pack with a 22-14 win over Samoa.

Samoa’s creditable performance leaves them poised to join the second seeding bracket for England 2015 at the expense of Argentina, who were the big casualties of the weekend – but all is not yet lost.

Ireland’s resounding 46-24 win over Los Pumas on Saturday secured their place in the second band of seeds for next Monday’s draw.

Among the criteria for calculating the rankings is defeat by more than 15 points and the margin of Ireland’s win leaves Argentina out of the top eight.

While Ireland rise one place to sixth, Los Pumas drop three places to ninth with Wales and Samoa rising one place. Samoa and Argentina both have a rating of 78.71 but when extended to 15 decimal places the difference between the two is less than one thousandth of a rating point.

As the rankings stand at the moment, the bands for the RWC 2015 draw would be:

Band 1: New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, France
Band 2: England, Ireland, Wales, Samoa
Band 3: Argentina, Italy, Tonga, Scotland

With Wales to face Australia this Saturday, there could yet be a twist in the tale. The Welsh, 33-10 losers against world champions New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium, still have their own fate in their hands.

A win or a draw against Australia would see them retain their present seventh place and join England, Ireland and Samoa in the second band of seeds, with Samoa in eighth and Argentina in the third band.

However, if Australia defeat Wales, then Samoa - the first of the Pacific Island nations to occupy a top eight ranking - and Argentina will leapfrog the Welsh to consign them to the third band with Italy, Tonga and Scotland.