World Cup seedings change to save AB blushes

A likely change to the way the World Cup seedings are done will save the All Blacks some potential embarrassment at the 2011 event to be hosted in New Zealand.

The International Rugby Board has been looking at the controversial seeding process and is set to make an announcement this week while several of their top officials are in New Zealand to look at New Zealand's preparations for the next tournament.

The current system has seedings based on the finishing order of the previous tournament.

It's a format that has draw plenty of criticism. England, for example, entered last year's tournament as top seed after winning the previous World Cup in Australia. By the time they reached France for the 2007 event, they were well off their 2003 form and had slipped down the world rankings.

Under that system the All Blacks would be out of the top four seeds for the first time at the 2011 tournament after their worst World Cup performance last year where Graham Henry's side exited in the quarter-finals.

That would place them on the second tier of the draw for the New Zealand event below South Africa, England, Argentina and France.

But it seems that the IRB are finally set to utilise their worthy world ranking system that has been operating for the past five years.

Updated on a weekly basis, these rankings are far more reflective of the current state of the game.

Naturally, for ticketing and planning purposes, there has to be a cut-off in the timeline building towards the 2011 event. But even if that cut-off was 18 months or two years out, it would seem to be a far more genuine seeding system than one that is based on tournament rankings that are four years old.

The current world rankings are headed by South Africa with New Zealand placed second. Then follow Argentina, Australia, England, France, Ireland and Wales in the top eight.

Of those sides New Zealand and Australia were beaten quarter-finalists in France while Ireland and Wales failed to make the playoffs.

But their consistency of performance - particularly New Zealand who are regularly near the top of the official rankings - may finally be recognised.

The IRB are also set to announce the qualifying format for the 2011 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks could play an extra test against Argentina during the Tri-Nations schedule that has some major gaps in it.

IRB chief executive Mike Millar confirmed to NewstalkZB that Sanzar have officially invited Argentina to play against the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies this year.

It is on the condition Argentina must field their strongest side with players released from their European clubs.

The All Blacks have a gap of almost a month between their test against the Springboks in Cape Town on August 16 and their final Tri-Nations assignment against Australia in Brisbane on September 13.

- © Fairfax NZ News