South Africa, New Zealand, France and Ireland can all end the weekend on top of the rankings, however, South Africa cannot improve their rating with a victory over Wales due to the 11.33 rating points between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
If South Africa draws with Wales, then New Zealand or Ireland must win by more than 15 points to assume the number one ranking
Defeat for the Springboks means that a smaller margin of victory will be sufficient for New Zealand or Ireland.
South Africa will drop to third in defeat if in tandem with a France victory in Japan and win for either New Zealand or Ireland. They could drop to fourth if the margin of defeat is more than 15 points and New Zealand and Ireland draw.
New Zealand can drop to their lowest ever ranking of fourth if they lose and France wins. If South Africa wins, New Zealand will still gain one place with victory regardless of France’s result in Japan. France can top the rankings for the first time if they win, South Africa loses and it is a draw at Eden Park.
Ireland will be the higher-ranked of the two nations if they avoid defeat in New Zealand. They have only occupied the top spot for two weeks, in September 2019, since the rankings were introduced in October 2003.
Australia will climb above England with a win in the opening test in Perth. England can only improve on the fifth place if they win by more than 15 points and France loses to Japan by the same margin, while Japan will climb above a beaten Wales into ninth if they beat France.
The Brave Blossoms could climb another place to eighth if they win by more than 15 points, Wales is beaten and Scotland loses by the same margin in Argentina.
France will fall two places to fourth if they lose to Japan. They could drop another place if the margin of defeat for them and Australia against England is more than 15 points.
Wales will climb above a beaten Scotland if they can defeat South Africa in Pretoria.
Fiji cannot improve their rating with victory over Tonga due to the 8.9 rating points between them before home weighting is factored in.
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