Rugby | World Rugby Men's Rankings 17-18 August, 2024
World Rugby has published the permutations for the men's rankings this weekend in its preview.
World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for the second round of The Rugby Championship and a match on the road to Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 in Brazil this weekend.
Permutation highlights:
- South Africa will surrender top spot in the rankings if they fail to beat Australia in Perth with a draw seeing Ireland take over as the number one side by just 0.01 rating points.
- The Springboks cannot improve their rating with back-to-back victories over Australia in The Rugby Championship 2024 due to the 14.15 rating points between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
- Australia will climb above Italy into ninth place if they can turn a heavy defeat into victory in Perth.
- New Zealand cannot improve on third place even with a victory by more than 15 points over Argentina as this would only be worth 0.34 rating points.
- Back-to-back losses against Los Pumas for the first time would, however, see the All Blacks slip one place to fourth with France the beneficiaries.
- Argentina will climb at least one place in victory, swapping places with England, but a win by more than 15 points would also lift Los Pumas above New Zealand into fourth.
- Los Pumas last occupied fourth place during Rugby World Cup 2015, while fifth would equal New Zealand’s lowest-ever ranking – a position they occupied on two separate occasions in August 2022.
- Brazil cannot improve their rating with victory over Paraguay in the Qualifier Sudamericano 2025 Phase 2 opening match on Sunday. This is a consequence of the 8.51 point difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
- However, Brazil will slip one place to 30th if they fail to beat the lower-ranked Paraguay, who would jump three places to 38th with a draw.
- Paraguay will climb four places with victory with a jump of six places to 35th possible if the margin is by more than 15 points.
VIEW WORLD RUGBY MEN'S RANKINGS >>
Match officials:
- Andrea Piardi (Italy) will become the first Italian to referee a match in The Rugby Championship when he takes charge of New Zealand v Argentina at Eden Park. This will be the first time he referees either nation, having been an assistant referee for Los Pumas' victory in Wellington last weekend.
- Paul Williams (New Zealand) will take charge of Australia v South Africa for the third time with each team winning their home fixture – South Africa 35-17 in Johannesburg in 2019 and Australia 25-17 in Adelaide in 2022.
