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'Brings edge': Jeff Wilson's pick for a new All Blacks captain
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World Rugby Ranking winners from mad weekend weren't a Six Nations side
By Ian Cameron
Scotland and Italy produced two of the most memorable wins in recent Guinness Six Nations history, yet, surprisingly, neither side were rewarded with a climb up the World Rugby Rankings.
The biggest beneficiary of the weekend’s chaos was not, in fact, even a Six Nations team.
Gregor Townsend’s side stunned title favourites France in a breathtaking 50-40 victory at Murrayfield, while Italy made history in Rome by defeating England 23-18 for the first time in the fixture. Both results were seismic in the context of the championship and have reshaped the title race heading into Super Saturday.
But when the updated World Rugby Rankings are calculated on Monday, neither Scotland nor Italy will move up the table.
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Scotland remain seventh in the rankings despite their remarkable seven-try demolition of Les Bleus. Their gain of 1.37 ranking points was not enough to leapfrog England, who stay ahead of them in sixth despite the damaging defeat in Rome.
Italy also remain exactly where they were before kick off. Gonzalo Quesada’s side collected 1.28 ranking points from their landmark win but stay tenth in the world, still just behind Fiji in ninth.
The only team to actually climb a place were Argentina.
Los Pumas will move up to fifth in the rankings. They will swap positions with England after Steve Borthwick’s side slipped from fifth to sixth following their loss in Rome. England’s defeat cost them 1.28 points and opened the door for Argentina to move ahead despite not playing during the Six Nations weekend.
France, meanwhile, will remain fourth despite their loss in Edinburgh. Their defeat cost them 1.37 ranking points but not enough to threaten their position in the top four.
At the top of the standings, the Boks continue to lead the world rankings ahead of the All Blacks and Ireland, with the Irish holding on to third following their narrow victory over Wales in Dublin.
So while Scotland and Italy celebrated famous victories that threw the proverbial cat amongst the Six Nations pigeons, the only movement in the rankings table was Los Pumas.
Felipe Contepomi can raise a glass of Malbec to that.
