World Rankings: Wales drop as Boks hold onto fourth

NEWS: For the first time since January 2008 Wales are below Fiji in the World Rugby's Rankings.

Wales’ rating has dropped by 0.51 points to 78.67 points following their 17-19 defeat to England at Twickenham in the World Cup warm-up on Saturday, leaving them three-hundredths of a point behind Fiji.

The teams have traded positions in the rankings with Fiji the higher-ranked of the two teams for the first time in more than 15 years in ninth place and Wales in 10th.

It adds further spice to an already tasty-looking Pool C at World Cup 2023 as four of the teams – Australia, Fiji, Wales and Georgia – are next to each other in the rankings in positions eight to 11.

Scotland had a chance to steal the fourth spot from South Africa which would have been their highest ranking.

However, a late Thomas Ramos penalty clinched a 30-27 win for Les Bleus at Saint-Etienne.

The 0.23 points that France picked up in avenging their defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield the week before were not enough for them to overhaul New Zealand above them in second place. But the gap between the two is now down to 1.55 points.

Scotland stay in fifth place with 2.48 points separating them from England, who remain sixth.