World Rugby Men's Rankings preview: 22-23 November, 2025

World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this week's matches in the Quilter Nations Series and November internationals in Europe and the Rugby Europe Men's Trophy 2025-26. 

Permutation highlights:

• Samoa became the 24th and final qualifier for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 after a thrilling 13-13 draw with Belgium in the decisive match of the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai on Tuesday, but it is a result which will drop them into Band 4 for the Draw.
• They lose 0.51 rating points for the draw against the lower-ranked Belgians, dropping them to 19th and there is no opportunity for Samoa to improve on that with Chile, Tonga and Uruguay unable to drop below them this weekend.
• Chile and Tonga will not lose any points for defeats against the higher-ranked Italy and Scotland respectively, while even if Uruguay lose to Romania by more than 15 points they would still be 0.09 rating points better off than Samoa.
• Portugal and Romania, currently 20th and 21st, cannot earn enough points by beating Canada and Uruguay to reach Band 3.
• South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland and Argentina cannot drop out of Band 1 for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, although the same cannot be said for France.
• Les Bleus will drop two places to seventh if they lose to Australia by more than 15 points, an outcome which will see the Wallabies placed into Pool A of Band 1 as the host nation.
• Argentina’s comeback victory over Scotland last weekend means that they will remain in the sixth even if they suffer a heavy loss to England in the last match of the weekend.
• There will also be plenty of eyes on Tbilisi where 11th-ranked Georgia host Japan in 13th.
• Georgia will secure a place in Band 2 for the Draw if they avoid defeat against Japan.
• A draw will see the Lelos drop below Wales into 12th place, even if the Welsh are beaten by New Zealand given they will lose no rating points as a consequence of the 16.09-point differential between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
• Japan must beat Georgia to replace the Lelos in the top 12 after they their last-gasp 24-23 loss to Wales last weekend in Cardiff.
• Fiji, Scotland and Italy are also guaranteed their place in Band 2 regardless of their results against the lower-ranked Spain, Tonga and Chile respectively.
• The Flying Fijians can only gain a maximum of 0.16 rating points for beating Spain, meaning they cannot improve on eighth place even if Australia above them lose to France.
• Scotland and Italy will not gain any rating points for beating Tonga and Chile.
• However, Scotland will regain the eighth place they lost after letting slip a 21-0 advantage over Argentina to lose last weekend if they win and Fiji lose to Spain.
• Scotland will drop to 10th if they suffer a second loss to Tonga and Italy beat Chile, dropping the Scots below Italy for the first time since February 2013.
• That would become 11th if they lose by more than 15 points and Wales stun New Zealand by the same margin, the Welsh returning to the top 10 for the first time since July 2024.
• South Africa cannot surrender the number one ranking this weekend, even if they lose by more than 15 points to Ireland in Dublin.
• The Springboks can gain up to 1.32 points for beating Ireland by more than 15 points and it is possible that their cushion at the top could be as much as 6.57 points if New Zealand and England suffer similarly heavy losses to Wales and Argentina respectively.
• If that scenario plays out then Argentina would be their closest rival, Los Pumas jumping four places to a new high of second.
• Argentina, though, are one of four teams that could end the weekend in second place with New Zealand, Ireland and England also eyeing the spot.
• New Zealand could win and still lose second spot, if Ireland beat the Springboks by more than 15 points.
• England will move to second if they beat Los Pumas – taking their winning run to 11 tests – and New Zealand and Ireland fail to win their final matches of the year.
• New Zealand can fall no lower than fourth if beaten by Wales in Cardiff, while the lowest England can fall is sixth with a heavy loss.
• Further down the rankings, Uruguay will equal their all-time high of 14th if they beat Romania in Bucharest and Spain lose at home to Fiji.
• This will be the first time since June 2005 that Uruguay have been as high.
• However, if Uruguay lose and Chile create history in their first meeting with Italy, then it is Los Cóndores who will become the second highest ranked team in South America in 15th.
• This would be a new high as Chile’s previous best is 17th, but they can gain another place if they beat Italy by more than 15 points and Spain lose to Fiji.
• Tonga could also end the weekend in 14th spot, although that would require them to beat Scotland by more 15 points and for other results to go their way.
• Romania will return to the top 20 if they beat Uruguay and Portugal lose to Canada.
• Belgium, despite missing out on RWC 2027, could still end the week equalling their highest position of 21st if Romania lose to Uruguay.
• Namibia’s 40-31 win over Brazil in the other Final Qualification Tournament match on Tuesday keeps them in 27th and condemns Os Tupis to a two-place drop to 32nd.
• Meanwhile, the only Rugby Europe Men’s Trophy 2025-26 match this weekend will see Czechia become the higher-ranked of the two nations if they can beat Poland.