Mexico’s reward for overwhelming Jamaica 68-14 in the opening Rugby World Cup 2015 qualification match at La Ibero Santa Fe in Mexico City on Saturday is a one-place climb to 70th in the latest IRB World Rankings.
It is the first time Mexico have climbed since joining the IRB World Rankings earlier this month and the emphatic victory is enough to lift them above Niue, who slip one place along with the two other rankings newcomers the Philippines and Pakistan.
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Mexico’s victory in the NACRA Championship, which in 2012 doubles as the start of the Americas qualification process for RWC 2015, has proven costly for Jamaica who fall four places to 90th as a result with the Bahamas, Tahiti, Guam and Bosnia & Herzegovina the beneficiaries.
However, Mexico are not the only country on the rise as a result of victory over the weekend as Germany have climbed two places to 32nd on the back of beating higher ranked Moldova 40-7 in their European Nations Cup Division 1B encounter.
Germany’s climb means that Zimbabwe slip one to 34th while Moldova fall three places to 33rd as a consequence of the heavy defeat in Heidelberg, with Kazakhstan and Korea both climbing a place.
