OFFICIAL RANKINGS 2002

 
Above, Guiness Ashes Series 2001 - 1st Test, Gt.Britain 20-12 Australia

(RLIF) - Rugby League International Federation.

Top 30 Rankings
as of January 2007
Rank Team Points

1  Australia 4.78
2  New Zealand 3.35
3  England 3.30
4  Tonga 3.03
5  France 2.90
6  Fiji 2.87
7  Papua New Guinea 2.85
8  Lebanon 2.60
9  Ireland 2.35
10  Wales 2.30
11  Scotland 2.10
12  Samoa 1.97
13  Russia 1.85
14  United States 1.67
15  Georgia 1.53
16  Italy 1.10
17  Cook Islands 1.04
18  Netherlands 0.99
19  Malta 0.90
20  Serbia 0.60
21  Greece 0.60
22  Germany 0.45
23  American Samoa 0.43
24  Tokelau 0.43
24  Austria 0.43
26  Niue 0.35
27  Morocco 0.27
28  Japan 0.20
29  Estonia 0.15
30  South Africa 0.10


The Australian National Rugby League Premiership domestic competition has long been regarded by the world Rugby League media as the best and tougest league in the world followed by the English Super League in Europe!

Australia doesn't have a second tier competition, however, it has feeder leagues such as the Queensland Cup and the NSWRL Jersey Flegg Premier League where many of the clubs are used as feeder teams by the NRL professionals. The quality of Rugby League in these 'state' or 'country leagues' as they are often referred to as - is of a high quality and probably on par with the RFL National League One in England.
 
The State of Origin Series in Australia between states Queensland and New South Wales is the biggest and most famous representative competition in Australasia and is watched by millions of viewers worldwide, in particular - Papua New Guinea!


Other domestic competitions and leagues regarded as 'also rans' include New Zealand's semi-professional national league competition - the Bartercard Cup.

The competition is very competitive and is televised on Maori TV in New Zealand. It is a second rate competition in world Rugby League standards and is probably on a similar par to the lower divisions in the United Kingdom - RFL National League 1,2 and 3, which are also semi-professional. Many of the top South Pacific Islanders, including Papua New Guineans ply their trade in New Zealand.

New Zealand has it's own professional club which competes in the Australian NRL Premiership. The club is called the New Zealand Warriors, (formerly known as 'Auckland Warriors) based in North Island city of Auckland.

At grassroots level, New Zealand's Lion Red League and Cup competition is very strong and is the stepping stone for all future NZRL destined superstars. Many of New Zealand's best players ply their trade in Australia's NRL or the English Super League, however, France's Elite One Championship division is also a popular destination for many of New Zealand's 'also-rans'.

Away from the three 'super-powers' of domestic Rugby League (Australia, New Zealand and England) - Papua New Guinea's SP Cup, the French Elite One and the Russian League Division One are all established domestic competitions in world Rugby League.



Developing domestic league competitions are a growing success in developing nations such as the USA with the AMNRL (www.amnrl.com), Lebanon's Spring Championship (www.lebrl.com) and various South Pacific Island leagues such as Tonga, Samoa and Cook Islands where Rugby League is thriving on development at grassroots level.



The most famous and prestigious club competition on the globe is without a doubt - the RFL Challenge Cup - born in the United Kingdom. It is a knockout competition which features both professional and amatuer clubs from across the country. In recent years, French, Russian and Irish clubs have been allowed admittance into the competition which has lived for over a century.