The Rugby World Cup Final in Villajoyosa on Saturday marked the end of any further changes in the top 20 of the world rankings for 2023. The USA emerged victorious, defeating Spain 42-12 and climbing to 17th place in the standings, above Uruguay, who finished in 18th place. Additionally, Canada saw a rise in their ranking after finishing third in the Cup with a 40-15 win over Brazil. However, they just missed out on the top 20, with Uruguay, Romania, and Spain finishing above them.
At the top of the World Rugby rankings sits South Africa, following their recent Rugby World Cup win. With 94.54 points, they are in first place, while Ireland sits in second place with 90.57 points. New Zealand has fallen to third place after their loss in the final. France and England are currently sitting in fourth and fifth place respectively. Scotland is sixth despite their exit from the tournament during the pool stages.
Argentina’s impressive journey throughout the tournament propelled them to seventh place in the rankings, just above Wales. Australia’s disappointing performance at the Rugby World Cup has put them ninth on the list this year. Fiji rounds out the top ten for 2023. Italy is just shy of making it into the top ten and is currently ranked eleventh with Japan, Portugal, Georgia and Samoa following close behind them