New and Dormant Nations
All new member nations start with 30.00 points, which is provisional until they have completed ten test matches. When countries merge, the new country inherits the higher rating of the two countries but when they split (e.g., the planned 2010 breakup of the Arabian Gulf rugby union team into separate teams representing its current member countries), the new countries will inherit a rating at a fixed level below the rating of the original country.
Before 1 December, 2012 new member nations were given 40.00 points.
Countries that have not played a test for a couple of years are removed from the ranking system and the list. If they become active again, they resume their previous rating.
Read more about this topic: IRB World Rankings, Rules
Famous quotes containing the words dormant and/or nations:
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—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924)
“Two nations between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other’s habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or inhabitants of different planets.... The rich and the poor.”
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)