Japan’s exhilarating 49-27 triumph over Samoa in the second semi-final of the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup in Tokyo on Sunday brought the only notable shift in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings this weekend.
Previously ranked below Samoa, Japan now moves up to 13th place with a rating of 73.53 points, gaining 1.24 points from their win. This marks their third consecutive victory and puts them just 0.57 points behind Georgia, who defeated Japan earlier in July. As a result, Samoa drops to 14th with 72.30 points.
Fiji’s 22-3 win over the USA in the first semi-final had no impact on either team’s rankings. Fiji remains in 10th place with an unchanged rating of 78.43 points, while the USA holds on to 19th position with 66.08 points.
In the fifth-place play-off, Tonga’s 30-17 victory over Canada earned them an additional 0.34 points, improving their rating to 68.12 points. However, they stay ranked 16th, while Canada remains in 22nd, just ahead of Hong Kong China.
These results reflect the growing competition in the Pacific Nations Cup and the shifting dynamics in the global rugby rankings.
