World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this weekend's second rounds of the Guinness Men's Six Nations and Rugby Europe Men's Championship.
Permutation highlights:
- France and Ireland cannot improve their rating with victories over Wales and Italy, respectively, meaning England is untouchable in third if they avoid defeat in Scotland.
- A loss for England, though, will see them surrender third place to France if Les Bleus beat Wales in Cardiff.
- England cannot go any higher than third this weekend, as the closest they can get to New Zealand in second is 0.47 rating points.
- Ireland can reclaim fourth place from France in one of two scenarios: if they draw and France lose by more than 15 points, or if they win and France are beaten.
- However, a second defeat in the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations will see Ireland fall another place to sixth, with Argentina the beneficiaries.
- A win for Italy will lift them above both Fiji and Australia, but could also take them to a record high of seventh if Scotland do not beat England.
- The Azzurri will climb to seventh regardless if they win by more than 15 points.
- Scotland can surge up three places to seventh if they beat England by more than 15 points and Italy wins by a smaller margin in Dublin.
- Wales cannot improve on 11th position whether they win, lose or draw against France.