The latest World Rugby rankings have been unveiled, revealing the state of play following the conclusion of the Six Nations tournament. Unfortunately for Wales fans, there are some concerning developments. Wales suffered a heavy 68-14 defeat to England, marking their biggest loss in Cardiff, their largest margin of defeat in the Six Nations, and the most points conceded against England. This defeat also confirmed Wales’ second consecutive winless Six Nations campaign and back-to-back Wooden Spoons.
In addition, Wales are currently on a 17-match losing streak, the worst run of results for a Tier 1 nation in the professional era, dating back to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The team now finds themselves in 12th place in the World Rugby rankings, behind Tier 2 Georgia, who recently claimed the Rugby European Championship title by defeating Spain. Wales’ ranking took a hit following their loss to England, costing them 0.36 ranking points and bringing them closer to Japan, who are in 13th place, than to Georgia.
Looking ahead, Wales will face Japan in a two-Test series in July, aiming to end their losing streak. A defeat in the first match against Japan could see Wales drop to a new low of 14th place in the rankings, jeopardising their seeding for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The seedings for the tournament will be determined after this year’s autumn internationals, with Wales potentially facing a challenging pool if they fall to the third tier of seeds.
On a more positive note, two victories against Japan could propel Wales back up to 11th place and bring them closer to the global top 10. At the top of the rankings, France’s Six Nations triumph did not significantly impact their position, as they remain in fourth place behind Ireland. England’s strong performance against Wales has positioned them just outside the top five, while other movements in the rankings include Portugal dropping to 17th place, with Spain and Uruguay moving ahead of them.
The latest World Rugby rankings as of March 17th are as follows:
1. South Africa 92.78
2. New Zealand 90.36
3. Ireland 89.83 (+0.12)
4. France 89.51
5. Argentina 84.97
6. England 84.73 (+0.36)
7. Scotland 82.36
8. Australia 81.52
9. Fiji 80.07
10. Italy 77.77 (-0.12)
11. Georgia 74.69
12. Wales 73.39 (-0.36)
13. Japan 72.95
14. Samoa 72.68
15. USA 70.02
16 (↑17) Spain 67.34
17 (↑18) Uruguay 67.06
18 (↓16) Portugal 66.44 (-1.85)
19. Tonga 65.46
20. Romania 64.61 (+1.85)
As Wales braces for upcoming challenges, including the summer Tests against Japan and the autumn internationals, the team will need to secure victories to improve their ranking and avoid a perilous draw in the next Rugby World Cup. Despite the current setbacks, there is still hope for Wales to turn their fortunes around and strive for a stronger position in the global rugby landscape.