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Cape Town - England’s 14-all draw against South Africa in Port Elizabeth returns them to fourth spot, just a whisker ahead of France in the latest IRB world rankings.
According to the IRB website, France sit only six-hundredths of a ranking point behind the English, moving up from seventh thanks to their 49-10 victory over Argentina in Tucuman - their first away win over the Pumas since 1998.
Defeat leaves Argentina eighth, which is relevant looking ahead to the next Rugby World Cup. At the end of 2012, the IRB world rankings will be used to determine the seeding for the 12 sides who have already qualified for the 2015 showpiece.
The sides will be seeded in three bands, meaning 1-4 in the world (plus 5-8 and 9-12) will be guaranteed separate pools.
New Zealand, Australia and South Africa remain the top three sides in the world, but the flurry of Test activity means every side from fourth to 12th changes position.
Ireland, blown away 60-0 by the All Blacks, rise one to eighth thanks to events around them, while the Welsh, having lost to Australia by the narrowest of margins, drop two spots to sixth.
Scotland put a disappointing Six Nations campaign behind them to outdo their touring European counterparts with a three from three record.
Their one-point win over Samoa in Apia at the weekend translates to a one-place rise in the standings to ninth - having started the month 12th - and relegates their opposition one spot to 10h.
Fiji’s 29-17 victory over Tonga secured second place in the IRB Pacific Nations Cup and shunted their opponents down one place to 12th in the world.
Canada - one ahead of 14th-placed Fiji - consolidated their position by beating Georgia handsomely 31-12 in British Columbia. Wins by 16 points or more attract greater credit so Canada’s tally goes up by more than half a ranking point.
Latest Top 20 in the IRB rankings:
1. New Zealand 91.43
2. Australia 87.05
3. South Africa 84.87
4. England 83.09
5. France 83.03
6. Wales 82.26
7. Ireland 79.85
8. Argentina 79.25
9. Scotland 77.97
10. Samoa 76.23
11. Italy 76.03
12. Tonga 74.79
13. Canada 72.30
14. Fiji 70.60
15. Georgia 67.95
16. Japan 67.93
17. USA 66.61
18. Romania 64.54
19. Russia 62.05
20. Spain 61.63
According to the IRB website, France sit only six-hundredths of a ranking point behind the English, moving up from seventh thanks to their 49-10 victory over Argentina in Tucuman - their first away win over the Pumas since 1998.
Defeat leaves Argentina eighth, which is relevant looking ahead to the next Rugby World Cup. At the end of 2012, the IRB world rankings will be used to determine the seeding for the 12 sides who have already qualified for the 2015 showpiece.
The sides will be seeded in three bands, meaning 1-4 in the world (plus 5-8 and 9-12) will be guaranteed separate pools.
New Zealand, Australia and South Africa remain the top three sides in the world, but the flurry of Test activity means every side from fourth to 12th changes position.
Ireland, blown away 60-0 by the All Blacks, rise one to eighth thanks to events around them, while the Welsh, having lost to Australia by the narrowest of margins, drop two spots to sixth.
Scotland put a disappointing Six Nations campaign behind them to outdo their touring European counterparts with a three from three record.
Their one-point win over Samoa in Apia at the weekend translates to a one-place rise in the standings to ninth - having started the month 12th - and relegates their opposition one spot to 10h.
Fiji’s 29-17 victory over Tonga secured second place in the IRB Pacific Nations Cup and shunted their opponents down one place to 12th in the world.
Canada - one ahead of 14th-placed Fiji - consolidated their position by beating Georgia handsomely 31-12 in British Columbia. Wins by 16 points or more attract greater credit so Canada’s tally goes up by more than half a ranking point.
Latest Top 20 in the IRB rankings:
1. New Zealand 91.43
2. Australia 87.05
3. South Africa 84.87
4. England 83.09
5. France 83.03
6. Wales 82.26
7. Ireland 79.85
8. Argentina 79.25
9. Scotland 77.97
10. Samoa 76.23
11. Italy 76.03
12. Tonga 74.79
13. Canada 72.30
14. Fiji 70.60
15. Georgia 67.95
16. Japan 67.93
17. USA 66.61
18. Romania 64.54
19. Russia 62.05
20. Spain 61.63
