There are just a few matches remaining for teams to get into the best position ahead of the 2027 World Cup draw.
It’s an action-packed weekend of rugby, so here are all the World Rugby ranking permutations ahead of this weekend’s Test matches.
The Springboks are unable to improve their World Rugby ranking rating by beating Italy on Saturday due to the 14.08 rating points between the teams.
However, a victorious Bok outfit cannot lose top spot this weekend as the All Blacks are unable to overturn the 1.70-point difference by beating England at Twickenham.
The closest that New Zealand can get to South Africa is 0.25 rating points.
If the Boks suffer a shock defeat, then they will surrender top spot to a victorious All Blacks, but can fall no lower than second as Ireland are unable to improve their rating by beating the Wallabies in Dublin.
This is a consequence of Ireland being 7.16 rating points above the Wallabies before home weighting is factored in.
A victorious Ireland will slip a place if England beat the All Blacks to climb to third, a position they last occupied briefly in February 2022.
Australia chasing top six
England cannot gain enough points to overtake New Zealand, even if they win by more than 15 points.
France can only gain a maximum of 0.18 points for beating ninth-ranked Fiji by more than 15 points, which would be enough to lift them to third if England and Ireland both lose.
Australia can move into the top six – and Band 1 for the 2027 World Cup draw – if they beat Ireland by more than 15 points and Argentina fail to beat Scotland at Murrayfield.
If Los Pumas lose, then Australia simply need a win to climb to sixth.
The Wallabies could climb another place to fifth if they win by more than 15 points and France suffer a loss to Fiji by the same margin.
France can also drop out of the top six themselves if the above happens in tandem with an Argentina victory in Scotland. Les Bleus have not been ranked outside the top six since January 2020.
Fiji could also force their way into the top six – for the first time – if they win by more than 15 points and Argentina and Australia both lose.
Scotland will climb above Australia if they beat Argentina and the Wallabies lose in Dublin; however, they are unable to catch Los Pumas this weekend as a win by more than 15 points would see them trail by 0.06.
Italy will gain at least one place if they beat the Boks and Scotland fall to Argentina, resulting in the Scots dropping to 10th.
Georgia, for the second weekend running, are unable to improve their rating with a victory over a North American side. The Lelos in 11th are 15.84 rating points above their visitors, 24th-ranked Canada.
They can still lose that 11th place if Japan beat Wales by more than 15 points with the Brave Blossoms jumping two places.
Wales are unable to catch a victorious Georgia if they win their third meeting with Japan in 2025, while any other outcome will see them drop into Band 3.
World Rugby rankings
- South Africa 93.06 (+0.86)
- New Zealand 91.35 (+0.36)
- Ireland 88.85
- England 88.06 (+0.02)
- France 86.95 (-0.86)
- Argentina 84.30 (+0.48)
- Australia 81.69 (-1.21)
- Scotland 81.21 (-0.36)
- Fiji 81.15 (-0.02)
- Italy 78.98 (+1.21)
- Georgia 74.69
- Wales 73.57 (-0.48)
- Japan 73.25
- Spain 69.12
- USA 67.40
This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
