England have the chance to complete the Six Nations in the identical place on the World Rugby rankings as they began it, as the event’s highest-ranked group.
After successful 12 straight matches, Steve Borthwick’s males ended 2025 in third place on the rankings however have since slipped to sixth after a hat-trick of defeats within the Six Nations.
However, England have the chance to shoot again as much as third place if outcomes go their means on Super Saturday, whereas there are two record-high rankings on the playing cards this weekend.
We run via the rating permutations from the motion within the Six Nations and Rugby Europe Championship with the assistance of World Rugby.
Six Nations permutations
There might be no change on the summit of the World Rugby rankings whatever the outcomes on Saturday, as not one of the groups can surpass South Africa on the summit or New Zealand in second.
However, any of England, Ireland or France may seal third place and the best rating of a Six Nations group relying on the outcomes.
Ireland, at the moment ranked third, are in pole place to take action as all that’s required of them is to keep away from defeat to Scotland on the Aviva Stadium. Andy Farrell’s males are on an 11-game successful run in opposition to Scotland, courting again to a 27-22 loss at Murrayfield within the 2017 Six Nations. They may even afford to lose and retain third place if France fail to beat England on the Stade de France.
As for England, they would want to beat France by greater than 15 factors and Scotland would want to win by the identical margin in Dublin for Borthwick’s males to return to the third-place rating. Even if the latter doesn’t happen, England are assured to overhaul Argentina and France in the event that they win in Paris.
For France to finish the Championship in third place, they should beat England, with that consequence paired with Scotland ending their shedding streak in Dublin. Neither successful margin must be by greater than 15 factors.
However, if Gregor Townsend’s males do beat the Irish by greater than 15 factors, they’ll rise to fifth within the World Rugby rankings – equalling their all-time highest rating. A win by a smaller margin will solely see them rise increased than seventh whether it is paired with an England defeat – on this case, England would be the lower-ranked nation.
They can’t drop decrease than their present rating, as Italy is not going to earn sufficient score factors by beating Wales to surpass them.
Hot off their well-known first-ever victory over England, the Azzurri may finish the Six Nations as excessive as eighth – two locations up from the place they began the Championship. A win by any margin will do it for the Italians as they’ll transfer previous each Australia and Fiji.
Georgia may match all-time excessive
A 3rd straight Six Nations marketing campaign with no win for Wales may see them drop to thirteenth place within the rankings, except Georgia lose to Portugal within the Rugby Europe Men’s Championship. Georgia will equal their all-time excessive of eleventh in the event that they win by greater than 15 factors, if that result’s paired with a Wales loss.
If Portugal turns into the primary aspect to beat Georgia within the REC since Romania in 2017, Os Lobos will climb two locations, above the USA and Uruguay, to 14th – one off their all-time finest. The hole between Portugal and Georgia may shrink to as little as 0.76 factors if Os Lobos win by greater than 15 factors.
For Spain to climb again above Portugal, they should beat Romania within the third-place play-off and hope that Georgia win by greater than 15 factors within the closing. A heavy defeat to Romania would see Spain slide three locations right down to twentieth, leaving them one place above the Oaks.
2026 SIX NATIONS ROUND FIVE
IRELAND (3) 88.89 v SCOTLAND (7) 83.08
Ireland win by 15 factors or much less – Ireland 89.01, Scotland 82.96
Ireland win by greater than 15 factors – Ireland 89.07, Scotland 82.90
Draw – Ireland 88.01, Scotland 83.96
Scotland win by 15 factors or much less – Ireland 87.01, Scotland 84.96
Scotland win by greater than 15 factors – Ireland 86.07, Scotland 85.90
WALES (12) 73.62 v ITALY (10) 81.09
Wales win by 15 factors or much less – Wales 75.07, Italy 79.64
Wales win by greater than 15 factors – Wales 75.79, Italy 78.92
Draw – Wales 74.07, Italy 80.64
Italy win by 15 factors or much less – Wales 73.07, Italy 81.64
Italy win by greater than 15 factors – Wales 72.79, Italy 81.92
FRANCE (4) 87.03 v ENGLAND (6) 84.34
France win by 15 factors or much less – France 87.46, England 83.91
France win by greater than 15 factors – France 87.67, England 83.69
Draw – France 86.46, England 84.91
England win by 15 factors or much less – France 85.46, England 85.91
England win by greater than 15 factors – France 84.67, England 86.69
RUGBY EUROPE MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP 2026
GERMANY (33) 51.88 v NETHERLANDS (28) 54.49
Germany win by 15 factors or much less – Germany 53.24, Netherlands 54.1
Germany win by greater than 15 factors – Germany 53.92, Netherlands 53.44
Netherlands win by 15 factors or much less – Germany 51.24, Netherlands 56.13
Netherlands win by greater than 15 factors – Germany 50.92, Netherlands 56.44
SWITZERLAND (27) 56.43 v BELGIUM (22) 60.07
Switzerland win by 15 factors or much less – Switzerland 57.79, Belgium 58.71
Switzerland win by greater than 15 factors – Switzerland 58.47, Belgium 58.03
Belgium win by 15 factors or much less – Switzerland 55.79, Belgium 60.71
Belgium win by greater than 15 factors – Switzerland 55.47, Belgium 61.03
ROMANIA (20) 60.69 v SPAIN (17) 67.49
Romania win by 15 factors or much less – Romania 62.67, Spain 65.51
Romania win by greater than 15 factors – Romania 63.66, Spain 64.52
Spain win by 15 factors or much less – Romania 60.67, Spain 67.51
Spain win by greater than 15 factors – Romania 60.66, Spain 67.52
GEORGIA (13) 73.48 v PORTUGAL (16) 68.11
Georgia win by 15 factors or much less – Georgia 73.94, Portugal 67.64
Georgia win by greater than 15 factors – Georgia 74.17, Portugal 67.41
Portugal win by 15 factors or much less – Georgia 71.94, Portugal 69.64
Portugal win by greater than 15 factors – Georgia 71.17, Portugal 70.41
Latest World Rugby rankings
(As of 12/03/2026)
1 South Africa 93.94
2 New Zealand 90.33
3 Ireland 88.89
4 France 87.03
5 Argentina 84.97
6 England 84.34
7 Scotland 83.08
8 Australia 81.53
9 Fiji 81.14
10 Italy 81.09
11 Japan 74.09
12 Wales 73.62
13 Georgia 73.48
14 Uruguay 69.19
15 USA 68.26
16 Portugal 68.11
17 Spain 67.49
18 Chile 66.72
19 Tonga 66.66
20 Samoa 66.43
