10 Feb 2009

Wales go 4th in rugby rankings for first time

7:24 am on 10 February 2009

Last year's Grand Slam winners Wales have climbed into the top four in the IRB World rugby Rankings for the first time on the back of their 26-13 defeat of Scotland on the opening weekend of this year's Six Nations competition.

Warren Gatland's side had gone into the Murrayfield encounter in fifth, however the four-try win over the Scots sees them move above the Pumas.

New Zealand lead from South Africa and Australia.

The only other climbers in the latest IRB World Rankings are Ireland, who swap places with France to move into seventh after ending a seven-match losing streak against Les Bleus with a 30-21 victory at Croke Park on Sunday.

England remain in sixth.