The Kangaroos have been rewarded for their stellar Rugby League World Cup run, returning to the No.1 place on the world rankings following their impressive tournament victory.
The Australian team had fallen down the rankings due to their inactivity on the international calendar since the onset of the pandemic, beginning the tournament as the No.4 ranked team in the world.
But after a number of dominant displays, including their 20-point win in the final against Samoa, they've jumped straight back to the top, and coach Mal Meninga feels they're back where they belong.
“I feel that we thoroughly deserve to get our No.1 ranking back, considering the increased challenges now with the rise of Pacific nations,” Meninga said, per AAP.
Naturally, Samoa have received the biggest boost to their ranking after their incredible World Cup efforts, moving to third place in the rankings after overcoming both Tonga and England in the tournament's knock-out stages.
Michael Maguire's New Zealand side have fallen out of the top spot and now sit second in the rankings, while England has slipped to fourth and Tonga have taken fifth place.
Lebanon have also enjoyed a significant boost to their ranking after a number of impressive performances, rising to eighth spot from 13th after their quarter-final run.
But the biggest mover was the Welsh team, who have broken into the top 10 after a huge jump from 16th - despite not winning a World Cup match.
Meanwhile, the women's international rankings have not changed following the tournament, with the Jillaroos still atop the list after their World Cup win continued a 13-game winning streak that stretches back to 2016.
