mens
nations-championship
With all but one of the top 25 teams in action this weekend in the Nations Championship and the Cup of Nations, there could be more changes World Men’s Rugby Rankingsas the countdown to RWC 2027 continues.
Unless South Africa suffer a shocking defeat from injury Italy in Genoa, the status quo at the top will remain the same, with the Springboks remaining in first place, a All black people in the second. South Africa can only be dethroned at the top if they don’t win.
Even if they suffer their first defeat against Scotland, the All Blacks will not fall in the rankings because Ireland in the third they cannot collect enough points by winning over Argentina on the weekend Friday night curtain raiser to make up the deficit.
However, a combination of events could see the new team finish third, with France, England, Scotland and Australia potentially in contention to sit directly behind rugby’s ‘biggest’ rivals.
For France to replace Ireland as the third best team in the world, Les Bleus need Argentina to do them a favor and win in Dublin on Friday night, then go and win Fiji in Lyon the next day.
Third is also within England’s reach, as Ireland’s defeat at home to Argentina combined with a home win over Australia at Twickenham two days later would see them gain two places. equally, England could even fall to eighth place. For that to happen, Ireland would need to win by more than 15 points and England would have to suffer the same fate.
Meanwhile, Australia will become the higher-placed of the two nations with a win and could go as high as third if they and Argentina pick up more than 15 points and France also lose to Fiji, which given Les Bleus’ injury woes is not inconceivable. The Wallabies have not been as high as third since November 2021.
Scotland’s top spot of fifth could be equaled or even broken this weekend if they pull off a historic win over the All Blacks at Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon, although Ireland, France and England would also need to be beaten to clinch third place.
Tenth place is separated by only 0.15 points and two places Wales and 12th place Japan in the rankings, a place in the top 10 depends on the outcome at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Since the start of the year, Wales and Japan have swapped places four times and that will happen again this weekend if the Brave Blossoms prevail in Cardiff.
Wales have been the higher ranked team for more weeks to date in 2026 (33 weeks to Japan’s 12). But Eddie Jones’ side will return to the top 10 with a win, unless Italy upset world champions South Africa
in the Cup of Nations, Chile they are chasing the all-time record from 14th place. Los Condores need to beat Portugal, who currently occupy that spot, to move up two places and break new ground.
This is also a potentially big weekend for Samoa. If the result goes against them in their inaugural clash with Zimbabwe at Wakefield, ex Rugby World Cup The quarter-finalists, who were once ranked as high as seventh, will drop out of the top 20 in the world for the first time in the 23-year history of the ranking.
World Rugby Rankings for Men, Top 20
1. South Africa – 93.09
2. New Zealand – 92.27
3. Ireland – 88.08
4. France – 87.43
5. England – 85.68
6. Scotland – 84.78
7. Australia – 84.43
8. Argentina – 82.24
9. Fiji – 77.85
10. Wales – 76.38
11. Italy – 76.30
12. Japan – 76.23
13. Georgia – 73.94
14. Portugal – 69.39
15. USA – 67.58
16. Chile – 66.94
17. Spain – 66.83
18. Uruguay – 65.75
19. Tonga – 65.14
20. Samoa – 64.73