L'Angleterre reste n°1 mondial, l'Écosse en pleine ascension
Avec près de 100 tests-matchs joués tout au long d’une année sans précédent pour le rugby féminin, il n’est pas surprenant qu’il y ait eu beaucoup de mouvements dans le Classement mondial féminin de World Rugby présenté par Capgemini au cours des 12 derniers mois.
L’introduction du WXV, la nouvelle compétition mondiale annuelle féminine de World Rugby, ainsi que les tournois de qualification régionaux qui y étaient associés ont conduit à un calendrier de rencontres plus complet et donc à plus d’opportunités pour les nations de gagner des points dans le classement en cours de route.
Le Top 4 inchangé
Alors que 2023 touche à sa fin, les quatre premières nations classées sont toujours à la même place qu’au début de l’année, bien que les Red Roses d’Angleterre, numéro un mondial, aient augmenté leur cote à 96,18 points.
La Nouvelle-Zélande, deuxième, perd 2,63 points après une campagne du WXV 1 décevante. L’écart entre les deux nations s’est donc creusé et atteint désormais 5,62 points.
La France s’accroche à la troisième place malgré une perte de 1,79 points, tandis que le Canada, en quatrième position, a enregistré un gain légèrement plus important de 1,85 points après avoir terminé deuxième derrière l’Angleterre dans le WXV 1.
Trois victoires et une troisième place dans le Tournoi des Six Nations féminin 2023 ont permis au Pays de Galles d’améliorer son classement de près de quatre points, ce qui l’a fait remonter de trois rangs pour atteindre la sixième place du classement.
Cette progression de trois places n’a été égalée que par le Portugal et la Tunisie en 2023.
L’Écosse en pleine ascension
La renaissance de l’Écosse sous la houlette de Bryan Easson s’est traduite par la plus forte progression de 5,66 points.
Les vainqueurs du WXV 2, qui ont terminé à une honorable quatrième place lors du Tournoi des Six Nations féminin 2023, sont passées de 68,71 points en début d’année à 74,37 en fin d’année, ce qui leur a permis de passer de la dixième à la huitième place.
Les succès du Pays de Galles et de l’Ecosse ont coïncidé avec une baisse de régime de l’Italie au classement, même si les Azzurre ont rebondi après avoir terminé avant-dernières du Tournoi des Six Nations féminines avec trois victoires consécutives dans le WXV 2.
Baisse de régime
Au cours de l’année, l’Italie a perdu un peu plus de trois points, ce qui lui a permis de terminer l’année à la septième position, perdant ainsi deux places.
De même, les États-Unis ont perdu deux places, avec près de cinq points en moins.
Les Women’s Eagles entreront dans 2024 à la neuvième place, un rang devant l’Irlande, qui a perdu deux places malgré sa victoire sur le WXV 3.
En dehors du top 10, le Portugal a fait de grands progrès après avoir remporté le Rugby Europe Women’s Trophy et la promotion dans le Rugby Europe Championship 2024.
La campagne triomphale du Trophy a ensuite été suivie d’une série de matchs nuls avec le Brésil, et avec quatre victoires sur cinq, le Portugal a gagné 2,39 points et trois places.
Quant à la Tunisie, elle est passée de la 33e à la 30e place grâce à sa victoire 2-0 dans la série contre l’Ouganda, qui a connu la plus forte chute de toutes les nations, dégringolant de cinq places pour atteindre la 40e position.
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope they didn’t pay Jones fee?
2 Go to commentsTo be fair, the teams he's had to put out are reminiscent of those available to Gatland during his horrible run at the Chiefs in late 2020. Anyway, he's only got a two year contract and Wellingtonian Tamati Ellison will be ready by then, as will a lot of talented youngsters (like the Chiefs Gatland blooded). The Crusaders are planning for the long term.
4 Go to commentsGreat to see more community spending leading to higher participation in the community. It's a long road but that's a good first step.
2 Go to commentsPoetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
4 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
4 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
96 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
96 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
96 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
96 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
96 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
96 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
96 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
96 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
96 Go to comments