Tonga will head to the Rugby League World Cup rated the second-best nation after the latest rankings were released on Friday.
While they fell to top-ranked New Zealand 26-6 in last month’s Pacific Test, Tonga have still surged to their highest-ever ranking, leapfrogging England to the No.2 slot.
The Kiwis remain top of the heap, justifying why many believe their stacked squad deserves the favourites tag ahead of October and November’s World Cup.
England fall to three, while Australia remain planted at four, still yet to play an international fixture since their shock 2019 loss to Tonga.
It remains the worst ranking in the history of Australian men’s rugby league.
The Jillaroos remain the world’s best women’s team, but with New Zealand only narrowly behind, they’re staring down the barrel of both the Kiwis’ men’s and women’s sides ending 2022 with the top ranking.
International Rugby League chair Troy Grant said the new rankings showed active nations were more able to climb the ladder.
“The rankings also suggest that you can’t rest on your laurels from past performances and being active is important, particularly leading into the World Cup,” he said.
“With the Kiwis showing that they will be hard to beat, Tonga’s rise continuing and the performances of Samoa and Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Tests, the Men’s World Cup is wide open.”
Papua New Guinea and Fiji remain fifth and sixth respectively after the Kumuls rolled the Batis last month.
Samoa moved up one slot to seventh after knocking off the Cook Islands, while Serbia (eighth) is now the top European nation after France slumped to ninth.
The rankings don’t affect seeding for the coming World Cup, with the dream Australia-NZ match-up set for the semi-finals should they win their games as expected.
MEN’S TOP TEN WORLD RUGBY LEAGUE RANKINGS
1. New Zealand
2. Tonga
3. England
4. Australia
5. Papua New Guinea
6. Fiji
7. Samoa
8. Serbia
9. France
10. Malta
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sorry, I honestly don’t recall your many posts about this, I was just replying to what you’d written here To answer your question, it’s certainly more than winning two tests against tier 1 nations. Do you really think Tonga are a tier 1 nation comparable with Australia, NZ and England after those wins? Of course it’s going to take ages. Tonga and Samoa have populations of 100k and 200k respectively. League isn’t their number one sport. They’ll be relying on heritage players for a long time. I don’t see why that’s a problem? I think then having heritage players and getting wins against the tier 1 nations accelerates the process more than having them rely on homegrown players and getting beaten by 60 points How long do you think it should take for them to reach tier 1 level…? Is it a problem if they don’t and have to always rely on heritage players?
Rellum
Roar Guru
I have done so many times, but ok I hear you, I will clarify regularly. He is a question for you, at what point could Tonga or Samoa every reach the requirements for tier one? I would imagine it is impossible right now
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
click bait dude
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yeah definitely. It like those tennis or golfers who had high ranking and take time off for a fair while, naturally fall out of the rankings and come back to a comp and the media make a fuss about ‘Johnny Superstar being the lowest ranked player to ever win such and such’. Makes me think the reporter don’t have a clue
The Barry
Roar Guru
Ok, but you didn’t say revamp the system. You said make them tier one…
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
The ranking of the pacific island teams is always going to improve as they have more and more players being involved . All these islanders born here obviously can play for at least 2 countries because of their heritage but the fact is they can't all be picked for Australia and they all want to play in the world cup so you take plan B and play for another country . The thing that probably causes the most concern is that outside Engand, France , Australia and NZ a lot of these teams are comprised of of NRL based players . Not that there's anything wrong with that as it makes for a more competitive world cup . Just think of the alternative that no NRL players not being able to be selected for their "adopted country " it would be a bit one sided .
matth
Roar Guru
I think you still need it. Jerome Luai would have been effectively eliminated from international competition the second he played for NSW. I think we have to accept the reality that the world is a more fluid place now and people can have allegiances to more than one country
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
They'll be the same odds as NSW winning origin 3 . Who does these rankings, some bloke with a pin .
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
Tier 2 is a cop out. A player says "I want to play for Australia, but if I'm not good enough I will then play for i.e. Tonga" - make a decision and stick to it - you either want to represent the country where you were born / raised - or the country of your heritage, you don't represent the country of your heritage because you weren't good enough for your 1st choice
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
helps if the Kangaroos would have played a game in 2020 & 2021.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
if they are classed as a Tier 2 nation, then maybe every win over a Tier 1 nation should be worth double points for the world rankings. And if they play the Joker before a test match - she's worth 4 time the points!
Rellum
Roar Guru
Again we need to revamp the system rather than just saying it is too hard when a nation actually improves and going ah well sorry too bad. It is not an either or. Tonga playing strength is good enough now, especially if a lot of the current Origin players decided to play for Tonga which I am sure they would, defeatedly if the financial rewards are the same.
Rellum
Roar Guru
No they wouldn't. The players are passionate about playing for them and I am not suggesting staying with the status quo. I am suggesting we revamp the international setup so they get the same advantages as other tier one nations and real help in other areas. They clearly don't need a NRL standard local comp or even a QRL level local comp.
The Barry
Roar Guru
That’s not what the tiers are based on . Tonga are ranked number 2 because of the international tiers(and other teams not playing). If that’s not proof of them working I don’t know what is . But as soon as a tier 2 nation has success – let’s wind it all back and throw them on the scrap heap…
Dionysus
Guest
Gee guys, this is just a Covid influenced aberration. Its novelty value at best.
matth
Roar Guru
Tier 1 is more about player numbers and infrastructure. If you move them from Tier 2 they would lose a bunch of players back to Origin/Australia.
Eric
Guest
Hahahahahaha how cute is this.. I wonder what the North Eastern Australian Kangaroos are paying for the Rugby League "World" Cup? Can't be anymore than $1.50. Meanwhile Australia are fielding another 5 or 6 teams just to make the tournament competitive
Rellum
Roar Guru
Since they actually play and we don't it is a moot point. But is we did paly and moved up they would still be number three so the Poms can drop down. Or we could just redo the whole mess
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi mushi. I take it as Tonga rising rather then Australia dropping in ability, if the ranking are ‘realistic’.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
I always liked Dorothy Schmankings music.