World Rankings: Italy the big winners after Women's Six Nations

While the top three teams in the 2026 Women’s Guinness Six Nations have remained in the same place in the world rankings as when the tournament began back in April, Italy, the best of the rest, have surged up to sixth.

Wins over Scotland and then Wales in the final round have resulted in the Azzurre gaining 2.24 points throughout the course of the championship, with their improved rating of 74.79 points seeing them climb three places to one spot off their all-time best of fifth.

Italy’s rise has come at the expense of a Scotland side that endured a disappointing campaign, their solitary win was against Wales in round one after they overturned a half-time deficit.

It’s not been the honeymoon start that incoming head coach Sione Fukofuka would have hoped for after swapping the USA for Scotland, and they have dropped down to seventh after suffering four straight losses.

Scotland started the Women’s Six Nations one place higher and with a rating of 77.39 points, which has since been reduced to 74.40.

France and Ireland both made incremental gains, boosting their ratings by 0.99 and 0.49 points, respectively, but that was not enough for them to improve on fourth and fifth place, which is where they were originally.

Whitewashed for a third time, Wales had 0.91 points chipped off their rating but, again, that did not lead to a change in their ranking of 12th.

Defending Grand Slam champions England remain firmly rooted to the top of the rankings on 98.09 points, having not received any reward for a historic fifth clean sweep in a row.

Current World Rugby Women’s Rankings

1. England 98.09
2. New Zealand 91.53
3. Canada 89.78
4. France 84.59
5. Ireland 78.69
6. Italy 74.79
7. Scotland 74.40
8. USA 74.34
9. Australia 74.03
10. South Africa 71.62
11. Japan 69.72
12. Wales 65.22