England have the opportunity to finish the Six Nations in the same position on the World Rugby rankings as they started it, as the tournament\u2019s highest-ranked team.<\/p>\n
After winning 12 straight matches, Steve Borthwick\u2019s men ended 2025 in third place on the rankings but have since slipped to sixth after a hat-trick of defeats in the Six Nations.<\/p>\n
However, England have the opportunity to shoot back up to third place if results go their way on Super Saturday, while there are two record-high rankings on the cards this weekend.<\/p>\n
We run through the ranking permutations from the action in the Six Nations<\/a> and Rugby Europe Championship with the help of World Rugby.<\/p>\n Six Nations permutations<\/p>\n There will be no change at the summit of the World Rugby rankings regardless of the results on Saturday, as none of the teams can surpass South Africa<\/a> at the summit or New Zealand in second.<\/p>\n However, any of England<\/a>, Ireland or France could seal third place and the highest ranking of a Six Nations team depending on the results.<\/p>\n Ireland<\/a>, currently ranked third, are in pole position to do so as all that is required of them is to avoid defeat to Scotland at the Aviva Stadium. Andy Farrell\u2019s men are on an 11-game winning run against Scotland, dating back to a 27-22 loss at Murrayfield in the 2017 Six Nations. They could even afford to lose and retain third place if France fail to beat England at the Stade de France.<\/p>\n As for England, they would need to beat France by more than 15 points and Scotland would need to win by the same margin in Dublin for Borthwick\u2019s men to return to the third-place ranking. Even if the latter does not occur, England are guaranteed to overtake Argentina and France if they win in Paris.<\/p>\n For France<\/a> to end the Championship in third place, they need to beat England, with that result paired with Scotland ending their losing streak in Dublin. Neither winning margin needs to be by more than 15 points.<\/p>\n However, if Gregor Townsend\u2019s men do beat the Irish by more than 15 points, they will rise to fifth in the World Rugby rankings \u2013 equalling their all-time highest ranking. A win by a smaller margin will only see them rise higher than seventh if it is paired with an England defeat \u2013 in this case, England will be the lower-ranked nation.<\/p>\n They cannot drop lower than their current ranking, as Italy will not earn enough rating points by beating Wales to surpass them.<\/p>\n Hot off their famous first-ever victory over England, the Azzurri could end the Six Nations as high as eighth \u2013 two places up from where they started the Championship. A win by any margin will do it for the Italians as they will move past both Australia and Fiji.<\/p>\n Six Nations 2026: What Ireland, France and Scotland need to win the title plus fixtures, broadcasters and match officials<\/a><\/p>\n Georgia could match all-time high<\/p>\n A third straight Six Nations campaign without a win for Wales could see them drop to 13th place in the rankings, unless Georgia lose to Portugal in the Rugby Europe Men\u2019s Championship. Georgia will equal their all-time high of 11th if they win by more than 15 points, if that result is paired with a Wales loss.<\/p>\n If Portugal becomes the first side to beat Georgia in the REC since Romania in 2017, Os Lobos will climb two places, above the USA and Uruguay, to 14th \u2013 one off their all-time best. The gap between Portugal and Georgia could shrink to as little as 0.76 points if Os Lobos win by more than 15 points.<\/p>\n For Spain to climb back above Portugal, they need to beat Romania in the third-place play-off and hope that Georgia win by more than 15 points in the final. A heavy defeat to Romania would see Spain slide three places down to 20th, leaving them one place above the Oaks.<\/p>\n