World Rankings: All Blacks to make Boks sweat?

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has published the ranking permutations ahead of this weekend’s Test matches.

South Africa cannot gain any rating points for a second win over Italy due to the 15.01 points difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.

With New Zealand able to boost their rating by up to 0.74 points if they beat France by more than 15 points, the Springboks’ advantage at the top could be cut to just 1.06 points by the end of the weekend.

Ireland, in third, are also unable to boost their rating due to the 23.39-point gap that exists between themselves and hosts Portugal.

Ireland will be leapfrogged by France if Les Bleus win their second Test against the All Blacks.

New Zealand will drop to fourth if they are beaten and Ireland are victorious in Portugal.

England can only improve on fifth place if they beat Argentina by a similar margin to the one they achieved in winning 35-12 in Buenos Aires last weekend, and Ireland suffer a shock defeat at the hands of Portugal.

It is not possible for Los Pumas to reclaim fifth place even if they beat England by more than 15 points.

Scotland enter the Test arena for the first time in July knowing that a win over Fiji, combined with a draw or a defeat for Argentina, will result in them moving above Los Pumas into sixth.

Argentina will fall to eighth in this scenario, also falling below Australia, who are not in action ahead of the British and Irish Lions Test series beginning on 19 July.

Fiji will move up to eighth if they beat Scotland by more than 15 points, with their visitors to Suva dropping two to ninth and replaced in seventh by Australia.

If Italy defy the formbook and overturn last week’s defeat at the hands of the Springboks, they will move up to ninth – but only if Fiji don’t win.

Japan will remain in 12th place in victory, as even a win by more than 15 points against Wales will still leave them slightly adrift of Georgia in 11th.

Having slipped to their lowest-ever ranking of 14th on the back of a 24-19 defeat, Wales have a chance of redemption in this weekend’s return fixture.

A draw will move Wales above Samoa into 13th, while a win will see them restored to 12th and Japan drop to 14th.

USA cannot improve on 15th place, but a big win for them and a 19th consecutive test defeat for Wales could reduce the gap between the two teams to just 1.08 points.

Uruguay will move up one place if they beat Romania and other results fall their way, while Chile’s historic position in the top 20 will be short-lived if Romania come out on top in Montevideo.

A win for Canada against Belgium could lead to them gaining two places, although this is also dependent on other results and margin of victory.

Belgium will replace recent Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifiers Hong Kong China in 22nd place if they beat Canada for the first time, which is one place off their all-time best.

Namibia need to beat Algeria by more than 15 points in the first Rugby Africa Men’s Cup 2025 semifinal, and hope that Canada lose to Belgium by the same margin, to improve on 25th.

Namibia are the highest-ranked team still in with a chance of winning the African title, but Zimbabwe will take that mantle from them if they beat Kenya by more than 15 points and the Welwitschias’ winning margin is smaller.

In this case, the teams will swap places, with Zimbabwe the best-placed of the two teams in 25th place. Add in a defeat for Canada, and Zimbabwe will climb an additional place to 24th if they reach the final in style.

This would put the Sables at their highest-ever position in the rankings.

Algeria are already at an all-time high of 54th and will set a new benchmark if they beat Namibia and reach a second consecutive final, potentially moving up by as many as 14 places to 40th.

Alternatively, Namibia will equal their lowest-ever position of 29th if they are soundly beaten.

For fellow semifinalists Kenya, a place in the top 30 is theirs for the taking if they win their match with Zimbabwe by more than 15 points.

Meanwhile, Uganda need to beat Morocco by more than 15 points to climb above their opponents.

Morocco, once ranked as high as 19th in the world, are currently languishing in 39th place. But a win this weekend could see them move up the rankings by as many as three places.

Former World Cup participants Ivory Coast, are also well below their historic rankings best of 38th. But a win over Senegal could see them recover as many as three lost places.

Senegal will remain in 52nd unless they win big and Algeria lose to Namibia.

World Rankings:

1 South Africa 92.78
2 New Zealand 90.98
3 Ireland 89.83
4 France 88.90
5 England 86.72
6 Argentina 82.98
7 Scotland 82.36
8 Australia 82.08
9 Fiji 79.52
10 Italy 77.77
11 Georgia 74.69
12 Japan 73.70
13 Samoa 72.68
14 Wales 72.65
15 USA 70.02