World Rugby Men's Rankings preview: 18 July, 2026

World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this weekend's third rounds of the Nations Championship 2026 and World Rugby Nations Cup 2026. 

Permutation highlights:

• South Africa and France cannot improve their rating with victory over the lower-ranked Wales and Japan respectively.
• The Springboks will surrender top spot if they suffer a shock loss to Wales and New Zealand beat Ireland, providing one of the margins is by more than 15 points.
• It is also possible for Ireland to climb to number one, but this would require South Africa to lose by more than 15 points and the Irish to win by the same margin.
• Ireland will swap places with New Zealand if they become the first team to beat the All Blacks at Eden Park since 1994. 
• France could fall as low as sixth with defeat in Tokyo, while a return to the top 10 for the first time in three years is possible for Japan. 
• Australia could drop out of the top 10 for the first time since the rankings began in October 2003 if they lose to Italy by more than 15 points and other results go against them. 
• Italy will also surrender their place in the top 10 if beaten by that margin. 
• Scotland, Argentina and England could all end the weekend in fourth place if France are beaten in Japan. 
• Fiji will climb above a beaten Australia if they are able to claim a first Nations Championship victory against Scotland at Murrayfield. 
• Wales cannot fall any lower than 12th this weekend as Georgia are unable to catch them, but a return to top 10 is possible for Steve Tandy's men.
• Argentina and England will swap places if Los Pumas are able to taste victory in Santiago del Estero.  
• Defeat for Romania against Samoa could see them drop to a new all-time low with Canada, Hong Kong China and Zimbabwe all able to climb above them with victories, depending on the margins involved. 
• Hong Kong China and Chile can all secure or equal new all-time highs in the rankings if they beat the higher-ranked Uruguay and Georgia. 
• Portugal, Chile, USA and Spain could all end the weekend in 14th place depending on results in the World Rugby Nations Cup across the Americas. 
• Zimbabwe will become the higher-ranked of the two nations if they beat Canada and could reach a new high of 22nd depending on margin and Romania's result.