Rankings: How the Springboks could go to No 1

The main focus for the Springboks this weekend will be to keep a close eye on the clash between Ireland and Scotland, which will have a big impact on the final quarter-final match ups.

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With the Springboks on a ‘bye week’ while the final round of the World Cup pool stages take place, there are a host of interesting rankings permutations to take note of.

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Interestingly, even though South Africa aren’t playing, they could actually go back to the No 1 spot – although this is highly unlikely.

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Check out all the key rankings permutations below:

• With Ireland, France and New Zealand unable to improve their ratings this weekend due to facing lower-ranked opponents, the Irish can only surrender top spot if beaten by Scotland at Stade de France.
• Ireland, with a rating 10.36 points higher than fifth-ranked Scotland, will be replaced at number one by France if Les Bleus beat Italy and the Irish lose by any margin.
• Defeat by more than 15 points would see Ireland drop to fourth with Scotland climbing to a new high of third and South Africa moving up one to second.
• Such a scenario would see Ireland miss out on the quarter-finals if they fail to score a try bonus point in defeat.
• It would also see a New Zealand side victorious over Uruguay fall one place to fifth, equalling their lowest position since the rankings were introduced in October 2003.
• France will fall one place to third, swapping places with South Africa, if held to a draw by Italy in Lyon on Friday – a result which would lift the Azzurri one place to 10th.
• Les Bleus could slip to fifth if they lose to Italy and New Zealand and Scotland are victorious against Uruguay and Ireland respectively.
• South Africa, despite not playing, could end the weekend as number one but this would require Ireland and France to both lose by more than 15 points. This sequence of results would take Scotland to second above Ireland and France.
• It is possible for New Zealand to plummet to a new low of eighth, although they would have to lose by more than 15 points and Italy beat France by the same margin as well as wins for England, Ireland and Wales.
• England, Wales and Fiji – ranked sixth to eighth – are also unable to improve their ratings with victory over Samoa, Georgia and Portugal respectively. However, it is possible for them to still move up the rankings if teams above them lose sufficient points.
• One side who can profit from victory are Japan, who will jump three places to ninth if they beat Argentina to confirm their place in the quarter-finals for the second successive tournament.
• Los Pumas would fall two place to 11th with another pool stage exit, three if the margin of defeat is by more than 15 points.
• If Argentina reach the quarter-finals in style with a win by more than 15 point and the higher-ranked teams above them win their matches, eighth place will be theirs for the taking.
• Italy could also shoot back into the top 10 with victory over France, potentially to a new high of sixth if Argentina, England, Fiji and Wales also suffer defeat.
• Japan stand to fall two places if they lose and Georgia and Samoa beat their higher-ranked opponents
• If they can repeat their victory over Wales from last November, Georgia would climb two places to equal their record high of 11th if Italy and Japan are beaten this weekend.
• A win by more than 15 points could take the Lelos into the top 10 for the first time – to as high as eighth – and see them ranked above Pool C rivals Wales and Australia.

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