World Rugby Men's Rankings preview: 27-28 October, 2023

World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for the bronze final and final of Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.

Permutation highlights:

• Whoever wins the Rugby World Cup 2023 final will be ranked number one.
• New Zealand will return to the summit for the first time since November 2021 if they hold aloft the Webb Ellis Cup for a record fourth time.
• A win by more than 15 points would see New Zealand establish a 4.36 rating point cushion at the top of the rankings.
• South Africa will fall two places to third if beaten by the All Blacks in the third meeting between the teams this year with Ireland climbing one place to second.
• Defeat for New Zealand will see them slip below Ireland into third place with South Africa remaining on top of the world with a record fourth RWC title.
• The All Blacks can fall no lower than third, even if they lost by more than 15 points as they would still sit 1.12 rating points above France.
• South Africa could see their advantage at the top increase from the current 1.23 rating points to as much as 4.85 points if they win by more than 15 points.
• Argentina and England will swap places if Los Pumas win the bronze final to claim a second medal on French soil after their third-place finish at RWC 2007.
• A win by more than 15 points would not lift Argentina any higher than fifth place, but would see England drop below Wales to equal their lowest-ever position of eighth.
• England cannot improve on fifth place even with a win by more than 15 points as they would still trail France above by 1.48 rating points.
• Argentina will only fall from seventh place in defeat if the margin is by more than 15 points, a scenario which would see Los Pumas swap places with Wales below. 

VIEW WORLD RUGBY MEN'S RANKINGS POWERED BY CAPGEMINI >>

The rankings preview as well as individual match previews for RWC 2023 can be read via the Match Notes page in the Media Zone.