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Wales Online

Sport

Dylan James

Final World Rugby rankings published before autumn battles begin

World Rugby Rugby Australia England Scotland South Africa Wales France New Zealand Rugby Championship

The autumn internationals are just around the corner and after an action-packed summer the World Rugby rankings are now set in stone before teh best sides from both hemispheres meet.

The Rugby Championship came to a dramatic conclusion last weekend, with New Zealand taking home the spoils despite lacklustre start to the tournament.

With less than a year to go until the 2023 World Cup, the international teams are reaching a crucial stage with momentum being a focal point going into the last matches of 2022.

The northern hemisphere

Since the end of the summer tours, Ireland and France have retained their places in first and second respectively.

The Irish secured an historic series win against the All Blacks earlier in the summer, and also enjoyed a strong Six Nations campaign.

France have looked like a real powerhouse. They are yet to lose a Test match this year, after winning on both occasions against Japan in July, and picking up their first Six Nations Grand Slam in 12 years.

Since their series victory over the Wallabies, Eddie Jones' team retain their spot in fifth place of the world rankings, despite having a less than impressive Six Nations tournament.

Scotland have have moved up one ranking to sixth since the end of the summer tours, despite losing their Test series against Argentina. This is down to the movements made following The Rugby Championship, with Australia dropping down.

Wayne Pivac's Wales move up one spot with Scotland, and now hold seventh place going into the next round of international fixtures.

Japan lost both their Tests against France earlier in the summer, but beat Uruguay in June. They retain their place in tenth position.

The southern hemisphere

South Africa maintain their place in third, after a largely impressive Rugby Championship that saw them just miss out on winning the tournament.

Coupled with their Test series win against Wales earlier in the summer, they've earned themselves 0.39 points and are the highest ranked southern hemisphere team.

The All Blacks hold fourth place after winning The Rugby Championship. Despite losing the Ireland series, Ian Foster's side persevered in The Rugby Championship and have cemented their position in the rankings, moving closer to their old foes South Africa.

Australia have endured the biggest fall from grace. Following their series defeat against England in July, they were in sixth place.

However, after finishing with just two wins in The Rugby Championship, they have dropped down to ninth place and are 8.35 points adrift of South Africa in third place.

Argentina recorded a mammoth victory over New Zealand during The Rugby Championship, and secured a series victory over Scotland earlier in the summer, so have climbed from ninth to eighth in the rankings.