Scotland crash out of top ten
A first-ever win over Scotland has consolidated seventh place in the IRB World Rankings for Samoa in the latest publication of the global list.
The Scots drop out of the top 10 in the new rankings, paying the price for defeat by an Alesana Tuilagi-inspired Samoan side.
Samoa won 27-17 in the four-nation tournament taking place in South Africa, giant wing Tuilagi weighing in with two tries, to consolidate seventh place with an improved rating of 79.52.
The Samoans have now beaten all but four sides in the world's top 15, with only New Zealand, South Africa, England and France left on their 'to do' list.
Scotland’s reduced total means Italy, defeated 10-44 by South Africa in the same tournament, move into the top 10 at their expense, though theirs and South Africa’s points total is unchanged.
New Zealand and France remain in first and sixth respectively after the world champions stretched their 19-year unbeaten record at Eden Park to 31 matches with a 23-13 victory.
Argentina and Ireland swapped places in eighth and ninth after the Pumas’ 3-32 defeat by England in Salta.
England’s Christian Wade enjoyed an impressive Test debut, having a hand in the first three tries as the tourists surpassed their biggest win on Argentina soil – a 26-point winning margin in 1997.
With all four home unions missing players away on British and Irish Lions duty, there were some close calls in their tour games.
Ireland replaced Argentina in eighth by edging USA 15-12 in Houston before a crowd of 20,181, a record for a rugby match in the United States. The USA’s defeat leaves them at 17th in the world, one ahead of Romania, winners over Russia.
A 22-18 win for Wales over Japan maintained the rankings status quo for both sides.
While the Eagles lost, it was a good week for Canada, who profited from wins over Fiji and Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup. The Canadians swapped places with Fiji to go 13th with an improved rating of 73.65, edging to within almost two of Tonga, who dropped one place from 11th.
IRB World Rankings Top 20 – June 10, 2013
1(1) New Zealand 90.08
2(2) South Africa 86.94
3(3) Australia 86.87
4(4) England 84.92
5(5) Wales 83.36
6(6) France 81.59
7(7) Samoa 79.52
8(9) Ireland 78.33
9(8) Argentina 77.51
10(12) Italy 76.06
11(10) Scotland 76.05
12(11) Tonga 75.67
13(14) Canada 73.65
14(13) Fiji 71.29
15(15) Japan 68.91
16(17) Georgia 67.66
17(16) USA 67.64
18(18) Romania 66.18
19(19) Russia 61.99
20(20) Spain 60.44
*(Position last week)
