International Rugby Former Wallaby declares Fraser McReight world’s best openside flanker
Rugby World Cup winner Jeremy Paul believes Fraser McReight is the best openside flanker in the world at the moment.
By Finn Morton By Finn Morton By Finn Morton FEATURED
Prendergast starts as Emerging Ireland team named for Western Force
Sam Prendergast will start at flyhalf for Emerging Ireland in their second match of the South Africa tour against Western Force on Sunday.
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International rugby is the pinnacle of rugby union. After all, almost every single one of the sport’s biggest tournaments takes place on the international stage. From the Six Nations in the northern hemisphere to The Rugby Championship in the southern hemisphere, international tournaments deliver some of rugby’s most exciting matches.
Excited for the next international tournament? From news and interviews to details about upcoming rugby matches, we’ve got all the latest coverage. Read on to discover team updates, results and more right here at RugbyPass.
International Rankings
Points
1
Ireland
92.12
2
South Africa
91.77
3
New Zealand
88.7
4
France
86.96
5
England
85.4
6
Argentina
84.3
7
Scotland
82.82
8
Italy
79.98
9
Fiji
79.64
10
Australia
79.32
11
Wales
76.04
12
Georgia
74.1
13
Samoa
72.68
14
Japan
72.31
15
Portugal
70.61
16
Tonga
68.12
17
Uruguay
67.39
18
Spain
66.29
19
USA
65.7
20
Romania
62.62
21
Chile
61.39
22
Canada
60.81
23
Hong Kong China
60.4
24
Russia
58.06
25
Namibia
57.87
26
Switzerland
57.44
27
Netherlands
57.29
28
Zimbabwe
56.03
29
Brazil
55.83
30
Belgium
55.11
31
Germany
52.42
32
Sweden
51.79
33
Korea
51.6
34
Czechia
50.98
35
Poland
49.93
36
Uganda
49.38
37
Kenya
49.03
38
Croatia
48.15
39
Philippines
47.8
40
Sri Lanka
47.39
41
Paraguay
47.32
42
Colombia
47.21
43
Mexico
47.09
44
Madagascar
46.89
45
Malta
46.75
46
Morocco
46.33
47
Tunisia
46.1
48
Trinidad & Tobago
45.97
49
Cook Islands
45.11
50
Lithuania
45.03
51
United Arab Emirates
45
52
Cayman Islands
44.23
53
Luxembourg
44.1
54
Malaysia
43.88
55
Ukraine
43.62
56
Senegal
43.17
57
Latvia
42.77
58
Algeria
42.69
59
Guyana
42.4
60
Moldova
42.31
61
Singapore
42.13
62
Cote D'Ivoire
41.69
63
Bulgaria
41.47
64
Israel
41.24
65
Kazakhstan
40.49
66
Chinese Taipei
39.77
67
Jamaica
39.76
68
Zambia
38.83
69
Nigeria
38.37
70
Austria
37.51
71
Bermuda
37.2
72
Barbados
36.88
73
Thailand
36.86
74
Venezuela
36.78
75
Guam
36.38
76
Finland
36.26
77
Botswana
36.21
78
Denmark
36.06
79
Hungary
35.15
80
Peru
35.05
81
China
34.91
82
Serbia
34.61
83
Slovenia
34.48
84
St Vincent and the Grenadines
33.84
85
Papua New Guinea
33.68
86
Ghana
33.27
87
Andorra
32.77
88
Turkey
31.96
89
India
31.83
90
Qatar
31.31
91
Uzbekistan
31.28
92
Burkina Faso
31.05
93
Mauritius
30.56
94
Pakistan
30.13
95
Iran
30
95
Laos
30
95
Nepal
30
98
Rwanda
29.78
99
Costa Rica
29.75
100
St Lucia
28.92
101
Niue Island
28.63
102
Bosnia & Herzegovina
28.46
103
Bahamas
27.58
104
Burundi
26.16
105
Eswatini
26.04
106
Norway
24.58
107
Solomon Islands
23.97
108
Cameroon
23.12
109
Indonesia
21.95
110
Monaco
17.17
111
Greece
16.55
112
Vanuatu
15.29
113
American Samoa
13.53
Fixtures & Results
International Rugby History
Organised international rugby began in 1886 when Scotland, Wales and Ireland formed the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) – or as it’s now known, World Rugby. In 1890, England officially joined and the IRFB wrote the first international laws of rugby union.
Fast forward to 1949 and Australia, New Zealand and South Africa joined the IRFB. In the coming years, more and more teams from all over the world became full members, including France (1978), Argentina (1987) and Japan (1987). By the 1980s, many of the countries began to consider creating a world championship and by 1987, this dream had become a reality. Today, the Rugby World Cup remains the highlight of the international rugby calendar.
Recent International Rugby History
In 2003, an international rugby rankings system was introduced. When the system was first launched, England topped the international rankings after the team won the 2003 edition of the Rugby World Cup. However, New Zealand have dominated the international rugby rankings since. Between 2009 and 2019, the team held the number one spot uninterrupted.
Rugby union is now a truly global game. World Rugby has more than 100 member unions and a further 20+ nations hold associate member status. As a result, international rugby teams from across the world often play against each other for bragging rights, trophies and world ranking points. No matter what month of the year it may be, you’re sure to find an international rugby fixture that you can watch.
