All Blacks rankings lead reduced

Last updated 09:23 16/06/2009

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New Zealand's lead in the international rugby's test rankings took a knock from their loss to France last weekend.

Predictably the French have been the big movers leaping from eighth to fifth, their highest ranking in the past year, after their 27-22 win in Dunedin.

The All Blacks remain top of the rankings but their lead over South Africa has been cut from more than three ratings points to just over one.

The Springboks are in action this weekend when they open their three-match series against the British and Irish Lions.

Argentina have also made a move as they again showed their resilience at home with a 24-22 win over England in Salta on Saturday. That saw them move up one place to sixth while England dropped two places to seventh.

The French and Argentina victories also cost inactive Wales two places, dropping to eighth as they were leap-frogged by the Latin winners.

IRB Top ten - last week's position in brackets

1 (1) New Zealand 90.68

2 (2) South Africa 89.45

3 (3) Australia 85.86

4 (4) Ireland 83.27

5 (8) France 81.94

6 (7) Argentina 81.29

7 (5) England 81.23

8 (6) Wales 80.74

9 (9) Fiji 76.02

10 (10) Scotland 75.23