Rugby | World Rugby Women's Rankings preview: 30-31 March, 2024

World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for the second round of the Guinness Women's Six Nations and other matches in Europe this weekend.

Permutation highlights:

• England are unable to improve their rating with victory over Wales due to the 21.04-point difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
• The world’s number one team will still hold at least a 2.62-point advantage over New Zealand in second even if they suffer a shock defeat and lose by more than 15 points.
• Such an outcome would result in Wales reclaiming the sixth spot they lost following defeat to Scotland in round one, providing that the Scots don’t enjoy a similar margin of victory against France.
• A smaller margin would be enough for Wales to return to sixth if Scotland don’t win.
• With a maximum of 0.15 rating points on offer for a win over Scotland in Edinburgh, France can only make minor inroads into the deficit between themselves and New Zealand in second.
• France, however, will fall from third place if beaten by Scotland, with Canada replacing them.
• Scotland cannot improve on a record sixth place with victory as Australia are 5.71 points better off than them and there is a maximum of 2.85 points on offer for beating Les Bleues.
• Any form of win over Italy will be enough for Ireland to move above USA into ninth, even if the Women’s Eagles beat South Africa by more than 15 points in their test in London.
• Ireland cannot fall out of the top 10 with defeat this weekend, but their advantage over Japan below could be cut to 0.80 points.
• Italy can only climb the rankings in victory if both Scotland and Wales fail to win, a scenario which would see the Azzurre take over sixth spot.
• However, Italy could fall one place to eighth even in victory if Scotland and Wales both upset their higher-ranked opponents.
• Spain will not gain any points for victory in their historic Rugby Europe Women’s Championship encounter with Portugal as there are 16.42 points and 11 places between the Iberian rivals before home weighting is factored in.
• Las Leonas will only fall from 13th if they lose by more than 15 points.
• Portugal can climb one or two places if they beat Spain, depending on the margin.
• South Africa climbed up to 12th last week with their victory over Spain but no further improvement is possible even if they beat USA as Japan are too far in front.

VIEW WORLD RUGBY WOMEN'S RANKINGS POWERED BY CAPGEMINI >>

Match officials:

• Sara Cox (England) will draw level with Aimee Barrett-Theron as the most-capped female match official with Scotland v France her 37th test in the middle. Cox has refereed this fixture twice before, including the 13-13 draw in Glasgow in 2020. 
• Kat Roche (USA) takes charge of England v Wales for the first time, although both teams have won their only previous match with the American official in the middle. 
• Hollie Davidson (Scotland) referees Ireland v Italy for the third time with the Irish victorious in the two previous meetings in the 2020 Women's Six Nations and the RWC 2021 Europe Qualifier.
• Jenny Davies (Wales) will make her test debut with the Rugby Europe Women's Championship 2024 encounter between Spain and Portugal. The former Wales prop took up refereeing in 2018.
• Holly Wood (England) referees both USA and South Africa for the first time as they meet in London on Saturday.