Ireland and Scotland move up in World Rugby rankings
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Ireland climbed two places to third in the latest World Rugby men’s rankings after their 42–21 victory over England. The result returned Andy Farrell’s side to the top three, while England slipped one place to fifth after back-to-back defeats, dealing a blow to their Six Nations title hopes and their global standing.
France remains among the leading nations despite dropping one place to fourth. South Africa continues to top the rankings, with New Zealand holding second place.
Scotland moved up to seventh after edging Wales 26–23, keeping them within touching distance of the leading pack.
Wales fell to 12th following another defeat, while Italy remain 10th after their 33–8 loss to France, with no ranking points exchanged from that match.
With two rounds still to play in the Six Nations Championship, further movement in the World Rugby men’s rankings is likely as teams continue their push for the title.
📈 @IrishRugby and @Scotlandteam on the 🆙
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) February 23, 2026
Check out the latest Men's World Rankings 👀 pic.twitter.com/ehfjMKqHTG
