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England are now up to second in the World Rugby Rankings following their 23-7 win over Australia in Melbourne on Saturday
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Argentina’s 30-19 win over France in Tucuman means that Los Pumas stay fifth ahead of Wales
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Fiji’s 26-16 win over Samoa saw them retain the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup and ensured they remain as one of the world’s top 10 ranked teams
England are now up to second in the World Rugby Rankings following their 23-7 win over Australia in Melbourne on Saturday.
The Wallabies drop to fourth in the rankings in defeat while South Africa’s 32-26 win not only keeps the three-match series alive but also improves their rating points by 0.37. The Springboks are now on 86.03 points – nearly two adrift of England and 10 behind world champions New Zealand but six-tenths ahead of Australia.
Argentina’s 30-19 win over France in Tucumán means that Los Pumas stay fifth ahead of Wales, who went down to a brave 36-22 defeat to the All Blacks, while Ireland remain unmoved in seventh.
France, however, have lost eighth spot to Scotland, who came from behind to earn a hard-fought 26-13 win in their first ever test match in Japan. Les Bleus are now ninth, their lowest position since the World Rugby Rankings began in October 2003.
Fiji’s 26-16 win over Samoa saw them retain the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup and ensured they remain as one of the world’s top 10 ranked teams. With results from the competition over this year and next counting towards qualification for Rugby World Cup 2019, Fiji are now insurmountable favourites to take either of the two Oceania spots.
Tonga are replaced in 13th by Italy, who beat USA 24-20 in San Jose, California, to hand Conor O’Shea his first win in charge of the Azzurri.
WORLD RANKINGS
1 New Zealand
2 England
3 South Africa
4 Australia
5 Argentina
6 Wales
7 Ireland
8 Scotland
9 France
10 Fiji
11 Japan
12 Georgia
13 Italy
14 Tonga
15 Samoa
16 Romania
17 Canada
18 USA
19 Uruguay
20 Russia