Wales dodged a drop into pot three, snatching victory over Japan with the\u00a0last-gasp kick from Jarrod Evans, climbing to 12th in the world rankings. <\/p>\n
The Dragons showed grit and nerve under pressure, proving they can punch above their weight on the big stage.<\/p>\n
The Springboks flexed their dominance, grinding out a 32-14 win over Italy in Turin on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Join the\u00a0RUCK\u2019s WhatsApp community here<\/a>\u00a0and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.<\/p>\n England stunned the All Blacks at Twickenham, sealing a hard-earned 33-19 victory\u2014only their ninth over New Zealand in 120 years of Tests.<\/p>\n South Africa has now carved out a clear gap at the top. While they didn\u2019t gain points from the win, the All Blacks slipped 1.03, leaving a 2.73-point cushion between the southern hemisphere heavyweights.<\/p>\n England\u2019s triumph added 1.03 points, pushing them into third and bumping Ireland down to fourth.<\/p>\n A win for Ireland against Australia could change the draw yet again\u2026<\/p>\n UPDATED WORLD RUGBY RANKINGS AFTER BOKS WIN, NZ LOSE<\/p>\n RankCountryPoints1South Africa93.062New Zealand90.33 (-1.03)3England (\u21911)89.09 (+1.03)4Ireland (\u21931)88.855France86.956Argentina84.307Australia81.698Scotland81.219Fiji81.1510Italy78.98<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how the 2027 Rugby World Cup pools are currently expected to shape up:<\/p>\n 2027 Rugby World Cup draw<\/p>\n Pool A \u2013 \u201cThe Powerhouse Pool\u201d<\/p>\n South Africa (Band 1)\u00a0\u2014 Reigning World Champions, famed for their physical dominance and tactical brilliance.<\/p>\n Australia (Band 2)\u00a0\u2014 Rugby hosts with a rich history and a passionate home crowd.<\/p>\n Japan (Band 3)\u00a0\u2014 High-paced attackers who stunned the world in 2019.<\/p>\n Portugal (Band 4)\u00a0\u2014 Rising force in European rugby, known for their scrappy determination.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccc\u00a0Storyline:\u00a0South Africa vs Australia could be a World Cup final preview \u2014 Portugal and Japan will battle for third place.<\/p>\n Pool B \u2013 \u201cThe Six Nations Clash\u201d<\/p>\n New Zealand (Band 1)\u00a0\u2014 The All Blacks, rugby royalty with speed, skill, and killer instinct.<\/p>\n Scotland (Band 2)\u00a0\u2014 Brave and battle-hardened, with a history of giant-killing performances.<\/p>\n Spain (Band 3)\u00a0\u2014 Emerging side bringing flair and unpredictability.<\/p>\n Romania (Band 4)\u00a0\u2014 Rugby stalwarts with physical forward packs.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccc\u00a0Storyline:\u00a0New Zealand and Scotland renew their rivalry in a high-stakes pool. Spain could cause an upset.<\/p>\n CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n