Let’s be honest — rankings can get complicated. Bonus points, strength of opposition, margins of victory… it can sometimes feel like you need a maths degree just to figure out who’s on top. At Rugby Ignite, we’re taking it back to basics.
The Simple Idea Behind Our Rankings
From 2025, our school rugby rankings will be based on one thing: winning percentage. No bonus points, no formulas, no grey areas. It’s a clear, fair, and easy-to-understand way to see how schools are performing on the field.
Winning Percentage = (Games Won ÷ Games Played) x 100
If your school plays 10 matches in a season and wins 7, your winning percentage for that year is 70%. Simple as that.
Why Winning Percentage?
Because every school has its good seasons and tough ones. Injuries, player cycles, tough fixtures — it’s part of the game. By focusing on winning percentage, Rugby Ignite gives a true reflection of a team’s success relative to the games they play, not the number of games or who they play against.
It also allows schools of all sizes to be part of the conversation. Whether you’re playing 8 games a year or 16, it’s your success rate that counts.
Track Your School’s Progress Over Time
Another feature we’re excited about is year-on-year tracking. Schools and supporters will be able to see:
- Each season’s winning percentage
- A rolling average over multiple years
- How rankings shift over time
This paints a clear picture of a rugby program’s consistency and growth. Whether your school is rebuilding, peaking, or pushing for a top spot, you’ll have the data to show the journey.
What About Stronger or Weaker Fixtures?
It’s a fair point — and one we’ve thought about carefully. In schoolboy rugby, most schools face the same opposition year after year. Sure, festivals throw a few curveballs into the mix, but for the most part, your fixture list is set.
The reality is that some of the big-name rugby schools play against other top-tier sides every week. And some schools, where rugby might not be as dominant, face off against schools of a similar level. That’s just how the game works.
At Rugby Ignite, we believe every school deserves to be judged on their own success rate — not punished because they aren’t playing the same list of names as someone else. It’s about rewarding schools for how they perform in the games they have. Because good seasons and tough seasons happen to everyone.
And here’s the thing — we’ve also broken the rankings down province by province. That means schools can directly compare themselves with their local rivals, the teams they see on the touchline every year, and the sides they’ve built histories with. You’re ranked on your winning percentage within your province, making it a fair, balanced, and relatable reflection of where your school stands.
As Rory might put it: “Play the games you’ve got. Win what you can. And keep building. Success is success — and we’ll reflect that.”
That’s the Rugby Ignite way.
We’ll Evolve With The Game
The 2025 season is just the start. As the game grows and new ideas emerge, we’ll continue to refine the system — always keeping simplicity and fairness at the core of Rugby Ignite.
For now, it’s all about what matters most: winning games.
Rugby is built on pride, tradition, and performance. Our rankings should be too.
Welcome to Rugby Ignite.