Italy Slip Out of Top 10 in Latest World Rugby Men’s Rankings
Italy have dropped out of the top 10 in the latest World Rugby Men’s Rankings after a challenging Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere Series.
The team’s 57-10 defeat to Australia resulted in a two-place drop, leaving Italy in 12th position with 76.30 ranking points.
Japan Returns to the Top 10
Italy’s decline has allowed Japan to re-enter the world’s top 10 for the first time in three years. Wales also moved up one position to 11th.
Despite losing their recent matches against higher-ranked opponents, Japan and Wales retained enough ranking points to move ahead of Italy.
Top Teams Maintain Their Positions
The top three teams in the rankings remain unchanged:
- South Africa
- New Zealand
- Ireland
New Zealand strengthened its position after defeating Ireland 40-21, reducing the gap to top-ranked South Africa.
England also improved its ranking following a 31-24 victory over Argentina, while Scotland gained additional ranking points after defeating Fiji 33-17.
Georgia and USA Continue Strong Form
Georgia and the United States maintained their impressive performances in the World Rugby Nations Cup.
- Georgia defeated Chile 49-22 to remain 13th in the rankings.
- USA completed an unbeaten campaign with a 29-22 win over Spain, moving their rating above 70 points for the first time since late 2024.
Portugal remained 15th after a narrow victory over Tonga, while Chile reached its highest-ever world ranking of 16th despite its defeat to Georgia.
Other Ranking Changes
Several other teams also experienced movement in the latest rankings:
- Romania climbed to 21st after a dramatic victory over Samoa.
- Samoa slipped to 20th, its lowest ranking to date.
- Tonga moved up to 19th despite a close defeat to Portugal.
- Hong Kong China advanced to 23rd after an impressive victory over Uruguay.
Philippines Record Biggest Rise
The Philippines recorded the largest improvement in this week’s rankings, climbing nine places to 43rd after winning the Unions Cup 2026 in Thailand.
The team secured victories over Singapore in the semi-finals and Malaysia in the final to claim the tournament title.
Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei also improved its standing, rising five places to 61st after finishing third in the competition.
The latest rankings reflect the results of recent international fixtures as teams continue to prepare for upcoming global rugby competitions.
