Ulster Schools Rugby Rankings 2018/19 – Week 1

[pullquote]Two months ago another schools’ season kicked-off again and, as November begins, that means another year of Schools’ 1stXV Rankings from the FRU.[/pullquote]

It’s too early to draw anything hugely significant from positions at the moment, especially as Cup entry rounds are yet to be decided, so with that in mind, let’s look at who is starting up top and who needs to up their game:

Summary // Table // Scores // FAQs

Starting off in number one spot this season are perennial runners-up, Wallace HS. They start just above Methodist College, the only other team with a 100% record, on account of facing a slightly more difficult pool of opponents. A number of the ‘usual suspects’ make up the rest of the top-ten, but Enniskillen Royal (5), Rainey ES (8) and Portadown College (10) find themselves placed slightly higher than their usual start with form they’ll all be hoping to continue.

Further down at mid-table, RS Dungannon (16) and Larne GS (17) will be relatively pleased with how things have started, while Ballyclare HS (19) and Bangor GS (20) know that their current positions do not reflect the long-term ambitions of either team.

Ulster Schools Rugby Rankings 2018/19 – Week 1

Rank	Team	Win Ratio	Opponent Rating	Score	Season Rating
1	Wallace HS	1.000	0.577	716	0.983
2	Methodist College	1.000	0.505	654	0.916
3	RS Armagh	0.857	0.497	569	0.827
4	Campbell College	0.800	0.539	562	0.814
5	Enniskillen Royal	0.857	0.484	534	0.782
6	Sullivan Upper	0.800	0.497	531	0.774
7	RBAI	0.667	0.577	528	0.766
8	Rainey ES	0.667	0.586	483	0.717
9	Ballymena Academy	0.667	0.542	482	0.711
10	Portadown College	0.800	0.507	460	0.684
11	Dalriada	0.857	0.378	415	0.634
12	Friends’ School	0.750	0.419	394	0.609
13	Regent House	0.600	0.547	366	0.576
14	Down HS	0.500	0.558	349	0.555
15	Omagh Academy	0.500	0.551	347	0.548
16	RS Dungannon	0.500	0.587	336	0.532
17	Larne GS	0.667	0.399	311	0.502
18	Coleraine GS	0.429	0.515	292	0.479
19	Ballyclare HS	0.429	0.436	283	0.465
20	Bangor GS	0.286	0.639	251	0.428
21	Cambridge House	0.357	0.526	216	0.389
22	Limavady GS	0.583	0.297	206	0.374
23	Dromore HS	0.333	0.543	204	0.367
24	Banbridge Academy	0.333	0.508	191	0.349
25	Belfast Royal Academy	0.167	0.688	184	0.338
26	Lurgan College	0.333	0.323	138	0.287
27	Foyle College	0.188	0.608	136	0.281
28	Strabane Academy	0.333	0.337	129	0.269
29	Belfast HS	0.167	0.513	106	0.241
30	Grosvenor GS	0.143	0.534	100	0.230
31	Wellington College	0.250	0.337	99	0.224
32	Carrickfergus GS	0.143	0.385	75	0.196
33	Antrim GS	0.000	0.501	0	0.115

Ulster Schools Rugby Scores

Given below, to the best of our knowledge, is a full list of results for each Ulster Schools Rugby 1stXV that participates in the Schools’ Cup competition; it does not include training/controlled matches, opponents from outside of Ulster, non-schools’ teams or games against teams who are not 1stXV EXCEPT for ‘Select’ squads, indicated by an asterisk *.

Any letters/numbers appearing in brackets () after a result indicates that it was a competitive fixture; the letter (c,p,b,t) gives the form of competition (cup, plate, bowl, trophy) and the number (1-4,q,s,f) indicates the round at which it was played.

If you feel that any information is missing/incorrect, please leave a comment at the bottom stating the correct details along with any ‘evidence’ (website, match report, player) to support your claim.

Antrim GS (ANT)
8^th Sep, Away v WEL: 28-8 L
12^th Sep, Home v RSA^*: 24-40 L
22^nd Sep, Away v LUR: 27-12 L
29^th Sep, Home v DAL: 12-76 L
6^th Oct, Away v CMB: 56-7 L
20^th Oct, Away v LAR: 50-14 L

Ballyclare HS (BCL)
1^st Sep, Away v BMA: 26-12 L
8^th Sep, Away v BRA: 11-12 W
15^th Sep, Home v CCB: 10-24 L
26^th Sep, Home v RBAI: 3-57 L
6^th Oct, Away v BEL: 7-59 W
13^th Oct, Away v BGS: 12-7 L
24^th Oct, Home v GRO: 42-7 W

Ballymena Academy (BMA)
1^st Sep, Home v BCL: 26-12 W
8^th Sep, Away v WHS: 19-16 L
22^nd Sep, Home v BGS: 33-14 W
29^th Sep, Away v COL: 13-15 W
6^th Oct, Away v MCB: 54-8 L
13^th Oct, Home v BRA: 10-8 W

Banbridge Academy (BANB)
21^st Sep, Away v OMA: 59-0 L
29^th Sep, Home v ENN: 0-41 L
6^th Oct, Away v LUR: 12-38 W
13^th Oct, Away v LIM: 5-14 W
20^th Oct, Home v COL: 0-26 L
24^th Oct, Away v DRO: 37-15 L

Bangor GS (BGS)
8^th Sep, Home v RSA: 7-12 L
22^nd Sep, Away v BMA: 33-14 L
29^th Sep, Home v BEL: 66-24 W
6^th Oct, Away v SUL: 33-10 L
13^th Oct, Home v BCL: 12-7 W
24^th Oct, Away v CCB: 42-40 L
27^th Oct, Away v COL: 23-12 L

Belfast HS (BEL)
15^th Sep, Home v CAR: 43-7 W
22^nd Sep, Home v PDC: 24-43 L
29^th Sep, Away v BGS: 66-24 L
6^th Oct, Home v BCL: 7-59 L
13^th Oct, Away v LAR: 28-12 L
20^th Oct, Home v FSL: 15-40 L

Belfast Royal Academy (BRA)
8^th Sep, Home v BCL: 11-12 L
15^th Sep, Home v LIM: 62-0 W
22^nd Sep, Away v MCB: 33-13 L
29^th Sep, Away v SUL: 26-16 L
6^th Oct, Home v WHS: 15-45 L
13^th Oct, Away v BMA: 10-8 L

Cambridge House (CMB)
8^th Sep, Home v COL: 26-26 D
15^th Sep, Away v FSL: 53-3 L
22^nd Sep, Home v DAL: 0-31 L
6^th Oct, Home v ANT: 56-7 W
13^th Oct, Away v CAR: 18-24 W
20^th Oct, Away v DAL: 26-7 L
27^th Oct, Away v RES: 53-14 L

Campbell College (CCB)
15^th Sep, Away v BCL: 10-24 W
22^nd Sep, Away v WHS: 31-14 L
3^rd Oct, Away v REG: 17-43 W
13^th Oct, Home v COL: 20-5 W
24^th Oct, Home v BGS: 42-40 W

Carrickfergus GS (CAR)
8^th Sep, Home v LAR: 0-7 L
15^th Sep, Away v BEL: 43-7 L
22^nd Sep, Away v LIM: 16-10 L
29^th Sep, Home v LUR: 25-5 W
6^th Oct, Away v FLC: 22-10 L
13^th Oct, Home v CMB: 18-24 L
20^th Oct, Away v GRO: 36-15 L

Coleraine GS (COL)
8^th Sep, Away v CMB: 26-26 D
15^th Sep, Home v OMA: 10-10 D
29^th Sep, Home v BMA: 13-15 L
6^th Oct, Home v RBAI: 6-15 L
13^th Oct, Away v CCB: 20-5 L
20^th Oct, Away v BANB: 0-26 W
27^th Oct, Home v BGS: 23-12 W

Dalriada (DAL)
8^th Sep, Away v GRO: 14-31 W
15^th Sep, Away v RES: 56-7 L
22^nd Sep, Away v CMB: 0-31 W
29^th Sep, Away v ANT: 12-76 W
13^th Oct, Home v FLC: 48-0 W
17^th Oct, Home v LAR: 59-0 W
20^th Oct, Home v CMB: 26-7 W

Down HS (DWN)
8^th Sep, Away v OMA: 15-18 W
15^th Sep, Away v GRO: 10-36 W
22^nd Sep, Home v SUL: 3-28 L
29^th Sep, Away v RSA: 52-19 L
6^th Oct, Home v PDC: 17-37 L
13^th Oct, Away v DRO: 0-52 W

Dromore HS (DRO)
15^th Sep, Home v LUR: 34-7 W
26^th Sep, Home v FSL: 15-23 L
29^th Sep, Away v REG: 55-12 L
13^th Oct, Home v DWN: 0-52 L
20^th Oct, Home v PDC: 0-56 L
24^th Oct, Home v BANB: 37-15 W

Enniskillen Royal (ENN)
8^th Sep, Home v FLC: 40-0 W
15^th Sep, Home v REG: 34-0 W
22^nd Sep, Home v RSA: 11-7 W
29^th Sep, Away v BANB: 0-41 W
6^th Oct, Away v RES: 15-7 L
13^th Oct, Away v RSD: 10-35 W
20^th Oct, Away v FLC: 0-31 W

Foyle College (FLC)
8^th Sep, Away v ENN: 40-0 L
22^nd Sep, Home v RES: 0-28 L
29^th Sep, Away v RSD: 40-17 L
3^rd Oct, Home v LIM: 5-5 D
6^th Oct, Home v CAR: 22-10 W
13^th Oct, Away v DAL: 48-0 L
17^th Oct, Home v LIM: 17-36 L
20^th Oct, Home v ENN: 0-31 L

Friends’ School Lisburn (FSL)
8^th Sep, Away v RSD: 24-8 L
15^th Sep, Home v CMB: 53-3 W
26^th Sep, Away v DRO: 15-23 W
29^th Sep, Away v LAR: 8-21 W
6^th Oct, Home v GRO: 29-7 W
13^th Oct, Home v OMA: 30-24 W
20^th Oct, Away v BEL: 15-40 W
24^th Oct, Home v RSD: 17-29 L

Grosvenor GS (GRO)
8^th Sep, Home v DAL: 14-31 L
15^th Sep, Home v DWN: 10-36 L
22^nd Sep, Home v RSD: 0-40 L
6^th Oct, Away v FSL: 29-7 L
13^th Oct, Home v REG: 5-7 L
20^th Oct, Home v CAR: 36-15 W
24^th Oct, Away v BCL: 42-7 L

Larne GS (LAR)
8^th Sep, Away v CAR: 0-7 W
15^th Sep, Home v WEL: 47-0 W
29^th Sep, Home v FSL: 8-21 L
13^th Oct, Home v BEL: 28-12 W
17^th Oct, Away v DAL: 59-0 L
20^th Oct, Home v ANT: 50-14 W

Limavady GS (LIM)
15^th Sep, Away v BRA: 62-0 L
22^nd Sep, Home v CAR: 16-10 W
3^rd Oct, Away v FLC: 5-5 D
6^th Oct, Home v STR: 37-22 W
13^th Oct, Home v BANB: 5-14 L
17^th Oct, Away v FLC: 17-36 W

Lurgan College (LUR)
15^th Sep, Away v DRO: 34-7 L
22^nd Sep, Home v ANT: 27-12 W
29^th Sep, Away v CAR: 25-5 L
6^th Oct, Home v BANB: 12-38 L
10^th Oct, Home v WEL: 39-21 W
27^th Oct, Away v OMA: 13-12 L

Methodist College (MCB)
22^nd Sep, Home v BRA: 33-13 W
28^th Sep, Home v OMA: 41-8 W
6^th Oct, Home v BMA: 54-8 W
13^th Oct, Away v RBAI: 10-19 W

Omagh Academy (OMA)
8^th Sep, Home v DWN: 15-18 L
15^th Sep, Away v COL: 10-10 D
21^st Sep, Home v BANB: 59-0 W
28^th Sep, Away v MCB: 41-8 L
6^th Oct, Home v RSD: 17-16 W
13^th Oct, Away v FSL: 30-24 L
20^th Oct, Home v RSA: 8-39 L
24^th Oct, Home v STR: 29-0 W
27^th Oct, Home v LUR: 13-12 W

Portadown College (PDC)
22^nd Sep, Away v BEL: 24-43 W
29^th Sep, Home v RES: 26-22 W
6^th Oct, Away v DWN: 17-37 W
13^th Oct, Home v RSA: 5-33 L
20^th Oct, Away v DRO: 0-56 W

Rainey ES (RES)
8^th Sep, Away v REG: 19-14 L
15^th Sep, Home v DAL: 56-7 W
22^nd Sep, Away v FLC: 0-28 W
29^th Sep, Away v PDC: 26-22 L
6^th Oct, Home v ENN: 15-7 W
27^th Oct, Home v CMB: 53-14 W

RBAI (RBAI)
26^th Sep, Away v BCL: 3-57 W
6^th Oct, Away v COL: 6-15 W
13^th Oct, Home v MCB: 10-19 L

Regent House (REG)
8^th Sep, Home v RES: 19-14 W
15^th Sep, Away v ENN: 34-0 L
29^th Sep, Home v DRO: 55-12 W
3^rd Oct, Home v CCB: 17-43 L
13^th Oct, Away v GRO: 5-7 W

RS Armagh (RSA)
8^th Sep, Away v BGS: 7-12 W
12^th Sep, Away^* v ANT: 24-40 W
22^nd Sep, Away v ENN: 11-7 L
26^th Sep, Away v RSD: 10-52 W
29^th Sep, Home v DWN: 52-19 W
13^th Oct, Away v PDC: 5-33 W
20^th Oct, Away v OMA: 8-39 W

RS Dungannon (RSD)
8^th Sep, Home v FSL: 24-8 W
15^th Sep, Home v SUL: 18-26 L
22^nd Sep, Away v GRO: 0-40 W
26^th Sep, Home v RSA: 10-52 L
29^th Sep, Home v FLC: 40-17 W
6^th Oct, Away v OMA: 17-16 L
13^th Oct, Home v ENN: 10-35 L
24^th Oct, Away v FSL: 17-29 W

Strabane Academy (STR)
29^th Sep, Away v WEL: 17-26 W
6^th Oct, Away v LIM: 37-22 L
24^th Oct, Away v OMA: 29-0 L

Sullivan Upper (SUL)
15^th Sep, Away v RSD: 18-26 W
22^nd Sep, Away v DWN: 3-28 W
29^th Sep, Home v BRA: 26-16 W
6^th Oct, Home v BGS: 33-10 W
13^th Oct, Home v WHS: 15-24 L

Wallace HS (WHS)
8^th Sep, Home v BMA: 19-16 W
22^nd Sep, Home v CCB: 31-14 W
6^th Oct, Away v BRA: 15-45 W
13^th Oct, Away v SUL: 15-24 W

Wellington College (WEL)
8^th Sep, Home v ANT: 28-8 W
15^th Sep, Away v LAR: 47-0 L
29^th Sep, Home v STR: 17-26 L
10^th Oct, Away v LUR: 39-21 L

* ‘Select’ squad
^ Match abandoned after halftime
# Match not played; bye recorded

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Ulster Schools Rugby Rankings FAQS

Every season people ask questions about these calculations and we welcome them as, in the past, it has helped us to improve the system. Feel free to post your queries, but you may find an answer to one of our FAQs below:

What is the point of the ranking system? This system was mainly designed so that every one of the 33 teams involved with Ulster Schools’ 1stXV rugby could be ranked using the data available, without the need for every team to have played against every other.

How is the ranking calculated for each team? The three biggest factors taken into account are: win percentage (number of wins, draws, and losses), opponent rating (the strength of sides faced), and competitive rating (their progression within the various competitions). Inactivity penalties are also scored thereby preventing less active schools being ranked higher than they deserve. The formula produces a score for each team using these factors which allows them to be ranked in order from 1 to 33.

How are these figures actually used to rank the teams? Teams are placed in order firstly by score then by competitive rating, then by form and finally, opponent strength. If there is a still a tie at this point other factors such as head-to-head record, competitive match-ups and inactivity penalties may be taken into account, but it is unlikely that this would be needed, and has so far proven to be so.

Are points/tries for/against taken into account? YES. This is a big change brought a few seasons ago which means not only W, D and Ls are important but how they are achieved matters too (although to a lesser extent). Points are now added/subtracted depending on a team’s point difference per game and the opponents these points were scored against.

Hey, my team defeated that one! Should we not be above them? Not necessarily: the ranking for each team is based on the season as a whole, not a head-to-head basis, so often teams can be ranked below those which they have beaten. Don’t worry though, if you’re truly better than they are it will show eventually!

What does the score for each team represent? The score shown beside each team is a measure of performance. This is a number between 0 to approx. 1000; the higher the number the better the performance. This allows teams to be compared week-on-week and even season-on season as the same score in any two weeks represents the exact same level of performance.

So then, what does the rating of each team represent? The decimal rating assigned to each team represents a calculated estimation of that team’s ability. To put it another way, if every team played every other in a full season, the number shown is what win percentage would be expected of each team, given the data available. This is why teams’ ratings change week-on-week even if they haven’t played; it is a comparison with the ability of every other team.

How is opponent strength calculated? Previously, an average was taken across the season as a whole up to that point, but now the average is calculated using the strength of opponent dependant on how strong they were when they actually played the team in question. This has led to a more accurate representation of a team’s performance and stops the situation whereby a team could see their performance improved/downgraded without actually playing that week.

How do inactivity penalties work? Penalties for inactivity accumulate from week to week if a school does not take part in a representative fixture and are factored in to the calculation by lowering the a team’s opponent rating. This helps to prevent schools being unfairly ranked above others as sometimes happened with the original system.

What about abandoned games? The result of an abandoned game will be taken into account when more than one half has been played and if one team is winning by seven points or greater when it is stopped; if either one of these conditions is not met the teams involved will only be awarded any points scored during the course of the game.