Top three shake up for the women's game?
NEWS: World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for the Women’s World Cup 2025 warm-up matches in Australia, Canada, Ireland and England this weekend.
England and Canada, the top two nations in the rankings, cannot improve their rating this weekend as they are playing teams with significantly fewer points before home advantage is taken into consideration.
The Red Roses take on Spain in Leicester, a side with a rating 34.25 points lower than the number-one ranked team, while Canada face neighbours USA in Ottawa with 17.72 rating points separating the teams.
England therefore, cannot lose top spot if they suffer a shock loss to Spain, as they have a 7.79-point advantage over Canada and the most they can lose this weekend is three points.
Australia can regain the two places they lost following defeat to Wales last weekend if they taste victory in Sydney and Scotland lose to Ireland in Cork.
The Wallaroos currently sit at their lowest-ever position of eighth and will fall at least one place if they lose their World Cup 2025 warm-up series 2-0.
It is possible for Australia to drop to 10th, but this will require USA to also upset Canada with one of the margins being by more than 15 points.
Wales will become the higher-ranked of the two nations if they beat Australia again.
Defeat for Canada will see them surrender second place to New Zealand, although they cannot fall any lower than third this weekend.
In this scenario, the USA will climb above a beaten Wales side into ninth, reclaiming the place they lost following Wales’ win over Australia.
Ireland cannot improve on fifth place, as even beating Scotland by more than 15 points would still leave them trailing France in fourth by 6.55 rating points.
However, victory for Scotland will see them jump two places to equal their highest-ever position of fifth with Ireland falling to sixth, one place above a victorious Australia.
Spain cannot improve on 13th place even if they upset England as they would still trail South Africa above by at least 1.73 rating points.
