Ireland climb to fourth in world rankings

AS if the air wasn’t rarified enough around the Ireland training camp this week, Declan Kidney’s men have returned to the lofty heights of fourth in the latest IRB world rankings, announced yesterday.

In keeping alive their hopes of a first Six Nations Grand Slam since 1948 with a 22-15 victory against Scotland at Murrayfield, Ireland also moved to its highest IRB position for nearly two years.

Kidney’s team leap-frog Wales and Argentina — the Pumas fall to sixth because of Wales’ win — to become the Northern hemisphere’s top-ranked side in the world list.