Gatland mocks world rankings

‘‘We from now will forfeit it! We didn’t go in and apply for it.’’ Warren Gatland, left, on Wales’ No 1 world ranking

Wales coach Warren Gatland has again mocked World Rugby’s rankings in light of vice-president Agustin Pichot saying his own governing body’s system was ‘‘ridiculous’’.

Gatland said he would happily give up Wales’ position as No 1 after they ended New Zealand’s reign of almost a decade when beating England 13-6 in Cardiff earlier this month.

‘‘I’m quite happy to decline the position,’’ he told reporters yesterday ahead of Wales hosting Ireland in another warmup game before the Rugby World Cup starts in Japan in four weeks.

‘‘We from now will forfeit it! We didn’t go in and apply for it. If he’s not happy, then take it off us! It doesn’t bother us. We officially decline the position. Thanks very much!’’

Gatland, who returns home to coach the Chiefs once his 12-year stint with Wales ends after the World Cup, said Wales wouldn’t ‘‘be shouting from the rooftops’’ when they became No 1 and the former All Blacks and Waikato hooker added: ‘‘Lots of Kiwi journalists will be saying it’s a joke’’.

Wales won 14 games in a row, which included wrapping up this year’s Six Nations Grand Slam, but their streak ended with a 33-19 defeat to England at Twickenham this month. The Welsh have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953.

The outspoken Pichot, a former Argentina halfback who played 71 tests, even promised to change the ranking system that was also criticised by All Blacks coach Steve Hansen earlier this month.

‘‘It is a ranking that is badly done and I said it the first day I arrived at World Rugby,’’ he told Argentine website aplenorugby.com.ar in comments that came to light on Thursday.

‘‘It’s ridiculous. I’m going to change it, I assure you. It has no order, it is all mathematical and I would say that it is almost a matter of marketing.’’

The All Blacks could return to No 1 this weekend without even playing as World Cup warm-ups in the northern hemisphere continue to influence the rankings. Even struggling Ireland have a shot at the top when they take on Wales in Cardiff tomorrow.

Wales have made 14 changes to the team that beat England two weeks ago for the Irish clash. Gatland has stoked up the pressure on Kiwi counterpart Joe Schmidt, who suffered his worst defeat as Ireland coach in last weekend’s 57-15 loss to England.

‘‘They are under an enormous amount of pressure back home with a lot of criticism given that they haven’t progressed in World Cups further than they probably would have expected,’’ Gatland said.

‘‘There are a lot of doubts in the coaches’ minds about who their best players are – some of their players are getting a bit older – is it a time to put some of the youngsters in?’’

Wales name their final 31-man World Cup squad on Monday and start their campaign in Japan against Georgia on September 23.