France rise above Ireland in World Rugby Rankings

France’s 36–14 victory over Ireland in Paris not only opened the Six Nations but also directly reshaped the World Rugby rankings, with both teams switching places after the result.

World Rugby Rankings Change After France Win

France gained 1.16 ranking points from the home victory and moved ahead of Ireland into fourth place in the World Rugby standings. Ireland dropped to fifth following the defeat, marking an early shift in the international order during the championship window.

South Africa remain the world’s top-ranked side, followed by New Zealand and England, with France now closing the gap after their opening-round success.

France vs Ireland Result Impacts Global Order

The rankings movement reflects the weighting given to matches between closely ranked Tier-1 nations. Because the teams entered the match separated by a narrow margin, France’s win triggered an immediate swap in positions.

Ireland had previously been competing near the top of the rankings but the defeat in Paris reduced their rating points, while France strengthened their position among the leading northern hemisphere sides.

World Rugby Top 10 Rankings:

Rank	Team	Rating Points
1	South Africa	93.94
2	New Zealand	90.33
3	England	89.41
4	France	88.40
5	Ireland	86.81
6	Argentina	84.97
7	Australia	81.53
8	Fiji	81.14
9	Scotland	80.22
10	Italy	78.98