A hugely eventful weekend of Six Nations action has led to a change in the latest world rankings
England fell to a third successive Six Nations defeat as they were beaten by Italy(Image: Antonietta Baldassarre/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The new World Rugby rankings have been published after another thrilling weekend of Six Nations action – and it’s more bad news for Steve Borthwick and England.
An entertaining fourth round of fixtures kicked off with Ireland overcoming a stubborn Wales in a 27-17 win in Dublin. Despite another improved performance from Steve Tandy’s side, who were ferocious in defence, Andy Farrell’s men secured a hard-fought bonus-point victory to keep themselves in with a chance of winning the tournament.
That was followed by a 90-point thriller at Murrayfield, as Scotland upset reigning champions France in a remarkable game that saw them score seven tries to go 47-14 up at one stage.
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However, a late fightback from Les Bleus saw them score four tries in the final 15 minutes to make the scoreline a more respectable 50-40 and secure a crucial bonus point in defeat.
That looked to be the story of the weekend, but it was followed by another big upset in Rome as England fell to a first-ever defeat to Italy to pile even more pressure on under-fire head coach Borthwick.
After bruising defeats to Scotland and Ireland, they had been urged to arrest their losing run as they faced the Azzurri but were beaten 23-18 on a famous night for Italian rugby.
The results have shaken things up in the Six Nations table, with France and Scotland level on points at the top of the pile and Ireland still in with a chance of securing the crown heading into Super Saturday.
England, however, have fallen to fifth and it is not the only table Borthwick’s side have slipped down, having also dropped a place in the global standings.
Having started the tournament as the third-highest ranked team in the world behind South Africa and New Zealand, England headed to Rome in fifth position globally. However, they have now slipped to sixth, with their loss of 1.28 ranking points in the defeat to Italy seeing them fall below Argentina, who move into fifth place.
They are the only movers in the top 10, although fourth-placed France have fallen further adrift of the global top three after losing 1.37 ranking points in their defeat to Scotland. Gregor Townsend’s side, however, gained as many ranking points in the result and, while they remain in seventh, they have further closed the gap on England above them.
Italy, meanwhile, gained 1.28 ranking points by beating England, with a huge gap of seven ranking points opening up between them in 10th place and Japan in 11th. With no wins so far in this year’s Six Nations, 12th-placed Wales are even further adrift of the Azzurri, with 7.47 ranking points separating the two sides.
An Italian win in Cardiff this weekend would see that gap increase further, with Gonzalo Quesada’s side still able to finish the tournament as high as eighth in the world, but a Welsh victory would see them close it and move into 11th place ahead of Japan.
A final weekend as dramatic as the penultimate one would shake things up even more, with England potentially finishing the championship as high as third in the world or as low as seventh depending on how results transpire.
Further down the world rankings, Spain have dropped to 17th after losing to Portugal in the Rugby Europe Championship, with the victorious Os Lobos and the United States moving above them.
The latest World Rugby rankings (March 9)
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