World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this week's matches in the Quilter Nations Series and November internationals in Europe, the RWC 2027 Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai and the Rugby Europe Men's Conference 2025-26.
Permutation highlights:
South Africa is unable to improve their rating by beating Italy this weekend as a consequence of the 14.08 rating points between the teams.
However, a victorious Springbok outfit cannot lose top spot this weekend as New Zealand are unable to overturn the 1.70-point difference by beating England at Allianz Stadium.
The closest that New Zealand can get to South Africa is 0.25 rating points.
If South Africa fails to win, then they will surrender top spot to a victorious All Blacks, but can fall no lower than second, as Ireland is unable to improve their rating by beating Australia in Dublin.
This is a consequence of Ireland being 7.16 rating points above the Wallabies before home weighting is factored in.
A victorious Ireland will slip a place if England beats the All Blacks to climb to third, a position they last occupied briefly in February 2022.
England cannot gain enough points to overtake New Zealand, even if they win by more than 15 points.
France can only gain a maximum of 0.18 points for beating ninth-ranked Fiji by more than 15 points, which would be enough to lift them to third if England and Ireland both lose.
Australia can move into the top six and Band 1 for the RWC 2027 Draw if they beat Ireland by more than 15 points and Argentina fail to beat Scotland at Murrayfield.
If Los Pumas lose, then Australia need a win to climb to sixth.
The Wallabies could climb another place to fifth if they win by more than 15 points and France suffers a loss to Fiji by the same margin.
France can also drop out of the top six themselves if the above happens in tandem with an Argentina victory in Scotland. Les Bleus have not been ranked outside the top six since January 2020.
Fiji could also force their way into the top six, for the first time, if they win by more than 15 points and Argentina and Australia both lose.
Scotland will climb above Australia if they beat Argentina and the Wallabies lose in Dublin; however, they are unable to catch Los Pumas this weekend as a win by more than 15 points would see them trail by 0.06.
Italy will gain at least one place if they beat South Africa and Scotland fall to Argentina, resulting in the Scots dropping to 10th.
Georgia, for the second weekend running, is unable to improve their rating with a victory over a North American side. The Lelos in 11th are 15.84 rating points above their visitors, 24th-ranked Canada.
They can still lose that 11th place if Japan beats Wales by more than 15 points, with the Brave Blossoms jumping two places.
Wales are unable to catch a victorious Georgia if they win their third meeting with Japan in 2025, while any other outcome will see them drop into Band 3.
They cannot fall any lower than 13th as Spain and Uruguay below are playing England A and the All Blacks XV respectively, while Samoa are unable to improve their rating by beating Namibia in their second Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Final Qualification Tournament encounter.
USA can regain the 15th place they lost off the back of defeat by Georgia if they can beat Romania by more than 15 points in Bucharest. However, another loss could see them drop as low as 19th, depending on the margin.