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Welsh supporters respond to Agustin Pichot's world rankings comments
For the past 10 years, rugby’s world rankings have barely been mentioned by anyone – the All Blacks sat at the top and no one had a problem with that. But Wales’ ascent to the top of the rankings two weekends ago has now made it one of the most keenly discussed topics.
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Suddenly there has been swathes of criticism of the system, which has given Wales and Ireland the opportunity to climb to No1 over the past few weeks, a status they will contest again this weekend when they face each other in Cardiff.
Agustin Pichot, the vice-chairman of World Rugby, has now weighed in on the debate, claiming it is “ridiculous” how Wales can climb to No1 despite last beating the All Blacks in 1953.
The former Argentina captain also said the ranking system does not treat either Italy or Los Pumas fairly as they have tougher schedules from respectively being in the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship.
Wales fans weren’t going to lie down and accept those comments, though, and they have responded on social media. A huge number of fans have said that Wales’ 14-match win streak over the past 15 months does not lie, that they have beaten the likes of South Africa, Australia and Ireland, all of whom have beaten the All Blacks in the past year.
World Rugby vice president Agustin Pichot has joined the chorus of criticism surrounding the world rankings system after Wales overtook New Zealand as the world's top-ranked side.https://t.co/LZvSb3UK5q
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 29, 2019
Many fans have also said that Pichot has not voiced his opinion in the past when the All Blacks sat at the top and that it is only because Wales are No1 that he is critical.
It seemed very unlikely that the former scrum-half was going to be able to pass these comments without facing a backlash, and that has indeed come from the Welsh fans who feel that Warren Gatland’s side are rightfully ranked No1. This is what has been said:
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https://twitter.com/spincha10/status/1166850075756322816?s=20
So in the last year or so Wales have lost only once and beating some of the best teams in the World in that time South Africa Australia Ireland where New Zealand have lost to Australia South Africa and Ireland so on current form Wales are the best team in the world
— mr Gaff (@davidgr24598467) August 29, 2019
These people need to get a grip!! Let us enjoy our brief moment at the the top 🏴
— Kelly Paynter (@paynter_kelly) August 29, 2019
He makes no sense at all. You can win the world cup without beating the number 1 team. The numbers dont lie… 🏴
— Ed Williams 🏴 (@dynllandeilo) August 29, 2019
Imagine any sporting league in the world where you couldn't be on top, if it meant that there was a less successful team (that you happen not to have played for over a year, through no fault of your own) who would then finish below you. Pichot is a bellend. https://t.co/zO3vRNnHBC
— Mike Bubbins (@MikeBubbins) August 29, 2019
This dismissal of mathematics is very Trumpian. Look at Wales last 12 months v NZs. Look at how god awful the Boks and Wallabies have been the past couple of years and therefore the reduced value of AB wins v the highly competitive 6N teams. Wales fully deserving of no1 spot.
— Philip Bredin (@philbredin) August 28, 2019
Did he call them ridiculous when the formula for calculating them was agreed? If fudges are put it, it's a slippery slope. The rankings are not strictly speaking the best team in the world, it's the team with the best recent record in the world.
— Sam Rogers (@samalexrogers) August 29, 2019
He’s such a annoying twat. Rankings are supposed to give an objective ranking not fiddled until they align what some shitty administrator who’s desperate to make a name for himself thinks.
— Undeb Rygbi (@URygbi) August 28, 2019
In Pichot’s defence, he has only echoed what many fans, particularly from New Zealand, have been saying since the Grand Slam winners displaced Steve Hansen’s side.
Many of the complaints have been that Wales have fortunately faced many of the top-ranked sides in Cardiff, which is a veritable fortress, while their away wins have come against the likes of Argentina, who have won three of their last 26 matches, and an experimental Springboks side in Washington.
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But all Wales could do was beat those teams, which they did, and they undoubtedly have the best record over the past year or so on paper. Whether they would beat the All Blacks or not is academic as they have not played. Ultimately, with the World Cup under a month away, these rankings will not be playing on the coaches’ minds too much.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments