World Rugby reveals latest ranking permutations

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has revealed the ranking permutations ahead of Round Two of this year’s Rugby Championship tournament.

South Africa will surrender top spot in the rankings if they fail to beat Australia in Perth with a draw seeing Ireland take over as the No.1 side by just 0.01 rating points.

The Springboks cannot improve their rating with back-to-back victories over Australia in the Rugby Championship 2024 due to the 14.15 rating points between the teams before home weighting is factored in.

Australia will climb above Italy into ninth place if they can turn a heavy defeat into victory in Perth.

New Zealand cannot improve on third place even with a victory by more than 15 points over Argentina as this would only be worth 0.34 rating points.

Back-to-back losses against Los Pumas for the first time would, however, see the All Blacks slip one place to fourth with France the beneficiaries.

Argentina will climb at least one place in victory, swapping places with England, but a win by more than 15 points would also lift Los Pumas above New Zealand into fourth.

Los Pumas last occupied fourth place during the 2015 World Cup, while fifth would equal New Zealand’s lowest-ever ranking – a position they occupied on two separate occasions in August 2022.

*Brazil cannot improve their rating with victory over Paraguay in the Qualifier Sudamericano 2025 Phase Two opening match on Sunday. This is a consequence of the 8.51 point difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.

However, Brazil will slip one place to 30th if they fail to beat the lower-ranked Paraguay, who would jump three places to 38th with a draw.

Paraguay will climb four places with victory with a jump of six places to 35th possible if the margin is by more than 15 points.