'We all know who the favourites are' - Joe Schmidt plays down world rankings ahead of World Cup

The side's 19-10 defeat of Wales at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon secured the No.1 spot for the first time in the nations's history.

'We all know who the favourites are' - Joe Schmidt plays down world rankings ahead of World Cup

Joe Schmidt has played down the significance of Ireland's rise to the summit of the world rankings - for the first time - less than two weeks out from the Rugby World Cup.

The side's 19-10 defeat of Wales at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon secured the No.1 spot for the first time in the nations's history. Wales had already held the honour in this warm-up period, relieving the All Blacks of the tag for the first time in a decade.

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