World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this weekend's third rounds of the Guinness Men's Six Nations and Rugby Europe Men's Championship.
Permutation highlights:
- In three of the seven matches taking place this weekend in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations and the Rugby Europe Men’s Championship, the lower-ranked teams can climb above the opposition.
- Ireland will climb above England into fourth if they win the opening Men’s Six Nations match of round three in Twickenham.
- A winning margin of more than 15 points would result in Ireland climbing above both England and France to sit third.
- This is because France cannot improve their rating of 88.40 by beating Italy on home soil, a consequence of the 8.59 point differential between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
- Ireland will improve their own rating to 88.89 with a win by more than 15.
- England will reclaim third place from France if they win by more than 15 points or by a smaller margin if Les Bleus fail to beat Italy.
- A beaten France could fall as many as two places, depending on the margin and the outcome of the England-Ireland match.
- Ireland cannot fall any lower than fifth this weekend, even with an emphatic defeat.
- An all-time high of seventh is again within Italy’s grasp if they can upset France and Scotland do not beat Wales by more than 15 points.
- Italy are guaranteed seventh place if they win by more than 15 points, regardless of what Scotland does in Cardiff.
- However, if Italy fail to win, then Scotland will move up two places, above Fiji and Australia, with victory over Wales.
- Scotland will move up two places with a win over Wales.
- Wales will drop below Japan to 12th if they suffer a 14th consecutive Men’s Six Nations defeat.
- They could lose an additional place if Georgia also beat Spain in a repeat of the 2025 Rugby Europe Men’s Championship final, and one of the margins is by more than 15 points.
