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Changes to world rankings put England in strong position
By Jon Newcombe
England took a step closer towards securing their place in the top band of seeds for the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw with Saturday’s 25-7 win over Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
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Steve Borthwick’s team earned 0.40 ranking points as a result of the well-deserved victory, boosting their overall rating to 88.04, which is enough for them to replace France in fourth in the world rankings.
It would now take a calamutous set of results in their remaining Quilter Nations Series fixtures against Fiji this weekend, and New Zealand and Argentina in the two matches that follow, for them to drop into band two (teams ranked seventh to 12th).
The top six ranked teams will be in band one when the draw is made on Wednesday, 3 December, and England now have a 5.14-point buffer between themselves and the Wallabies, who are seventh.
France, who’ve dropped to fifth have 87.82 points, ahead of their Paris meeting with the Springboks this weekend, while sixth-placed Argentina are on 83.82 points – 0.92 points more than the Wallabies.
Scotland (eighth, 81.57 points) and Fiji (ninth, 81.16 points) are the only other teams realistically in with a chance, albeit a slim one, of making the top six.
A historic first win over the All Blacks at Murrayfield this Saturday would be worth big points for Scotland, and likewise Fiji if they can repeat their 2023 victory over England at Twickenham.
Argentina begin their Quilter Nations Series campaign against Wales in Cardiff this Sunday. A defeat for the Pumas would seriously jeopardise their chances of holding onto a spot in band one.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s 26-13 win over Ireland in Chicago has cut South Africa’s lead over the All Blacks at the top of the rankings to 1.20 points.
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Updated World Rugby Men’s Rankings
- South Africa 92.20
- New Zealand 91.00
- Ireland 88.85
- England 88.04
- France 87.82
- Argentina 83.82
—————– - Australia 82.90
- Scotland 81.57
- Fiji 81.16
- Italy 77.77
- Georgia 74.69
- Wales 74.05
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