England face rankings slide

England could emerge as the biggest losers from the opening weekend of the 2026 Six Nations.

While the Springboks and All Blacks are safely untouchable at the summit of the World Rugby rankings after round one, the chasing pack is anything but settled. England, Ireland and France all start the championship unable to gain enough points to threaten the top two, but England stand alone in one crucial respect.

Steve Borthwick’s side are the only team in the top five who cannot improve their ranking in round one. Even a comfortable win over Wales at Twickenham would leave England stuck where they are. Lose, however, and the fall could be steep.

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England currently sit third in the world but could drop as low as fifth if results elsewhere turn against them.

A shock Welsh victory in London would be particularly costly. Wales would gain significant ranking points, while England would lose ground immediately. Even a draw would hurt England, costing them a point while Wales gain one.

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The pressure is compounded by events in Paris. Ireland and France meet at the Stade de France, with the winner guaranteed to finish the weekend as the higher-ranked of the two. If England stumble against Wales and either Ireland or France win, England will drop at least one place – possibly more.

Italy and Scotland also have rankings at stake, with the winner of their clash ending the weekend higher on the ladder, adding further volatility to the top 10.

World Rugby rankings (Top 15)
1. South Africa 93.94
2. New Zealand 90.33
3. England 89.41
4. Ireland 87.97
5. France 87.24
6. Argentina 84.97
7. Australia 81.53
8. Fiji 81.14
9. Scotland 80.22
10. Italy 78.98
11. Wales 74.23
12. Japan 74.09
13. Georgia 73.18
14. Uruguay 69.19
15. Spain 69.01

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