World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this weekend's Guinness Men's Six Nations, Rugby Europe Men's Championship and Trophy matches.
Permutation highlights:
South Africa and New Zealand will remain as the top two-ranked teams regardless of what happens in the fourth round of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
Third-ranked Ireland cannot improve their rating with a home victory over a Wales side 15.27 rating points worse off before home weighting is factored in.
This means that a French side victorious in Scotland will regain the third place they lost to Ireland on the back of their record defeat of England a fortnight ago.
France can close to within a rating point of New Zealand in second if they beat Scotland by more than 15 points.
Scotland will slide two places, back below Australia and Fiji, in defeat, with another place lost if Italy create history with a first-ever victory over England.
A record seventh place is within Italy’s reach, but only if they beat England by more than 15 points and Scotland lose at home to France.
Defeat for England in Rome will result in them dropping below Argentina to sixth.
However, if the margin of defeat is more than 15 points and is matched by a Scotland win of the same magnitude, England will also slip below their Calcutta Cup rivals.
England can only improve on fifth place if they beat Italy and Ireland lose by more than 15 points at home to Wales, a scenario that lifts them a place to fourth.
Wales will climb back above Japan into 11th if they avoid defeat in Dublin.
A 15th consecutive Men’s Six Nations defeat will not cost Wales 12th spot, but only because Georgia cannot improve their rating by beating Romania in their Rugby Europe Men’s Championship semi-final in Tbilisi.
