Scotland and England world rankings change explained after Six Nations round two

Gregor Townsend’s side are now seventh, down one place, while England have leapfrogged them into sixth.

England, who beat France 26-25 at home on Saturday, will host Scotland in the Calcutta Cup in round three of the Six Nations at Twickenham on February 22.

The Scots, who opened their campaign with a win over Italy, lost 32-18 to the Irish in Edinburgh.

The rankings are important because they are used to work out seedings for the Rugby World Cup draw. The next tournament is in Australia in 2027 and a place in the top six come the end of this year’s November internationals will be enough for a band one seeding.

The next World Cup is being expanded to include 24 teams, up from 20, who will be divided into six groups of four in a new format.

The other big move in the world rankings saw Georgia go above Wales. Warren Gatland’s side have slumped to a new all-time low of 12th following their loss to Italy in Rome. It was the team’s 14th consecutive Test defeat.

Georgia, who are led by former Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill, won at home against the Netherlands in the Rugby Europe Men’s Championship. The win means they have qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the first time the 11th-ranked Georgians have been above Wales since the rankings began in October 2003.

The top five places remain unchanged, with South Africa at No 1 followed by Ireland, New Zealand, France and Argentina.