WORLD RANKINGS: South to remain top as North decide Six Nations title
Today at 05:14 AM
NEWS: World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this weekend's final rounds of the Six Nations 2025 and Rugby Europe Men's Championship 2025.
Ireland can pick up a maximum of 0.18 points for beating Italy this weekend, which isn't enough to restore them to second place in the rankings.
This means South Africa and New Zealand will remain in first and second on the World Rankings.
Ireland are safe in third place as long as they win in Rome because France cannot improve their rating with a victory over Scotland due to the 7.15 points difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
A draw or worse for Ireland will result in the sides swapping places if France win. This would lift Les Bleus above their rivals for the first time since July 2022, the same month in which the Irish were last ranked as low as fourth.
England are unable to improve on sixth place with a victory over Wales by more than 15 points in Cardiff only worth 0.36 rating points, not enough to catch Argentina above.
Steve Borthwick's side will lose sixth place if they fail to win and Scotland beat France.
A win by more than 15 points would not only lift Scotland above England but also Argentina, equalling their best-ever position of fifth.
Wales could suffer a 17th consecutive test defeat – and second Guinness Men's Six Nations whitewash in a row – and still improve on 11th place if Georgia suffer a first Rugby Europe Men's Championship defeat since 2017 in the title decider with Spain.
A draw for Wales would have the same effect if the Lelos lose, but if Georgia win then the Welsh must beat England to return to 11th place.
Defeat for Georgia would see them fall at least two places, three if the margin is by more than 15 points – a scenario which would see the Lelos ranked 14th, one place above Spain who would match their highest-ever position of 15th.
Wales cannot fall any lower than 12th in defeat.
Italy, meanwhile, must beat Ireland by more than 15 points if they want to climb above Fiji into ninth.
Perennial Rugby Europe Men's Championship winners Georgia cannot improve their rating or ranking with a win over Spain in this weekend's final. The Lelos sit 7.35 points better off than Spain in the rankings before home weighting is factored in.
A first-ever title for Spain would see them climb at least one place, lifting them above their Iberian rivals Portugal into 16th regardless of Os Lobos' result against Romania in the battle for third place.
This is because Portugal can only gain a maximum of 0.22 rating points for a home victory.
Romania must beat Portugal by more than 15 points for the victory to have any positive effect on the rankings. Such an outcome would lift the Oaks up two places to 18th, one place above Portugal who would drop three places.
Victory for the Netherlands would not only secure their place in the Final Qualification Tournament for World Cup 2027, but also take them above both Canada and Hong Kong China to a new high of 22nd in the ranking.
Belgium will only drop below Zimbabwe again into 27th if they lose by more than 15 points.
The Black Devils will become the higher ranked of the two nations if they win, jumping three or four places depending on the margin. A win by more than 15 points would lift them to 22nd, one place shy of their all-time high.
The Netherlands would fall three places to 27th with this margin of defeat.
Germany host tournament newcomers Switzerland in the seventh place play-off knowing that victory will lift them at least three places to 31st. They gain another place – and become the higher-ranked of the two nations – if they win by more than 15 points.
A first Rugby Europe Men's Championship victory for Switzerland would not result in an improved ranking as there is too much ground to make up on Brazil, the team above them.
The weekend's other match in Europe between Kosovo and Albania will not impact the rankings as neither as member unions of World Rugby.
