World Rugby Men's Rankings preview: 18-19 July, 2025

World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for the men's internationals played across Africa, Oceania and the Americas this weekend.

Permutation highlights:

• South Africa can’t improve their rating this weekend due to the 18.09-point gap between themselves and opponents Georgia before home advantage is factored in.
• This means that their cushion at the top could be cut to only 0.55 rating points over New Zealand if the All Blacks complete a series whitewash of France with a win by more than 15 points in Hamilton.
• If Georgia can create history and avoid defeat against South Africa for the first time then New Zealand need a smaller margin of victory to replace South Africa at the summit.
• The All Blacks have not been ranked number one in the world since November 2021.
• With Ireland not in action this weekend, France have an opportunity to improve on fourth place, although to leapfrog both Ireland and New Zealand they must beat the All Blacks by more than 15 points.
• If that happens, the All Blacks will find themselves down in fourth.
• England, in fifth, cannot improve their rating with victory over USA, given the 19.19 point difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
• The good news is that a defeat will not cost them a position, as Australia face the British and Irish Lions in the first test – which does not count towards the rankings – and Argentina cannot gain any points for beating Uruguay.
• Scotland can only gain a maximum of 0.20 rating points for beating Samoa at Eden Park, not enough to catch Los Pumas even if they are beaten by Uruguay.
• Even though Fiji and Italy above them are not in action, Georgia cannot enter the top 10 for the first time even if they beat South Africa by more than 15 points as they will be 0.08 rating points short.
• However, if Scotland lose then Fiji will climb one place to eighth.   
• Samoa will gain one place if they beat Scotland, replacing Wales in 12th but cannot catch Georgia.
• Japan, who occupy 14th place, cannot be caught by any of their nearest rivals – Spain, USA and Uruguay – as they hold too big a cushion.
• If Spain beat Canada, and the USA and Uruguay lose to England and Argentina, respectively, all three nations will remain as they were – in 15th, 16th and 17th.
• Meanwhile, Chile will drop out of the top 20, a few weeks after making it there for the first time, if they lose their Sudaméricano 2025 semi-final first leg against Brazil.
• Meanwhile, a win for Brazil would see them gain three places and move up to 25th, one off their all-time best.
• Zimbabwe will break new ground if they successfully retain the Rugby Africa Men’s Cup with victory over Namibia.
• A win in Saturday’s final would not only qualify the Sables for their first Men’s Rugby World Cup since 1991 will send them to a record high of 24th – unless Canada beat Spain, in which case they’ll have to settle for 25th.
• Should Namibia prevail, they will overtake Canada if they fail to beat Spain.
• The Rugby Africa Men’s Cup final is between the two-highest teams in the competition, with Kenya the next best in 33rd.
• A win for Kenya in the third-place play-off with Algeria will result in them leapfrogging Russia.
• Algeria’s rise could run into double figures in terms of places gained, with a new rankings high assured, if they claim the bronze medal.
• As for the other play-offs, Senegal take on Morocco and the Ivory Coast are up against tournament hosts Uganda,
• A number of changes could occur depending on the result of those two matches, with the potential for another record low for Ivory Coast perhaps being the most notable outcome.
• The former Men’s Rugby World Cup participants sunk to their lowest-ever position of 64th last week and will set a new unwanted record again if they don’t get the desired result against the Rugby Cranes.