If you looked at the women's rugby world rankings today, you’d see England sitting at the top. Again. It feels like a permanent fixture at this point. The Red Roses have carved out a massive lead with 98.09 points, making the gap between them and second-place Canada look like a canyon. But rankings are fickle things. They’re a snapshot of math, not necessarily the raw energy of what happens when a ball is kicked off at Allianz Stadium or a damp afternoon in Cardiff.
Honestly, the numbers are just the beginning of the drama.
Who is actually winning right now?
England is the undisputed heavyweight. They’ve held that top spot with a grip that refuses to slip. But look at Canada. They’ve climbed to second with 91.53 points, recently nudging the New Zealand Black Ferns down to third. This is huge. For years, the top two spots were a private club for England and New Zealand. Canada breaking that glass ceiling is probably the most exciting thing to happen to the international hierarchy in a decade.
The Black Ferns are currently sitting on 89.85 points. It’s weird seeing them in third. You've got to remember that these rankings use a "Points Exchange" system. Basically, if you’re a high-ranked team and you beat a lower-ranked team, you barely gain anything. But if you lose? The floor drops out from under you.
France holds steady in fourth. They’re the gatekeepers of the elite, currently at 83.60 points. Then there’s Ireland. Their rise to fifth (78.20) has been a massive storyline over the last year, especially after their performances in the WXV. They’ve managed to leapfrog Scotland, who are breathing down their necks in sixth with 77.39.
The current top 10 breakdown
- England (98.09) – The mountain everyone is trying to climb.
- Canada (91.53) – The new challengers.
- New Zealand (89.85) – Finding their feet after a transitional period.
- France (83.60) – Consistent, dangerous, but stuck in 4th.
- Ireland (78.20) – The biggest movers of the late 2025 season.
- Scotland (77.39) – At an all-time high and playing incredibly fast rugby.
- Australia (75.46) – The Wallaroos are rebuilding and it shows in the points.
- USA (72.90) – The Eagles are fighting to stay in the elite conversation.
- Italy (72.37) – Always capable of an upset that ruins a giant’s weekend.
- South Africa (71.62) – Rapidly improving and closing the gap on the North.
How the points exchange actually works
People get confused by the math. It’s not like a league table where you just stack wins. It’s a literal exchange. Think of it like a betting pool. If England plays a team way down the ladder, say Brazil (currently 39th), England stands to gain zero points. Nothing. But if Brazil were to pull off a miracle? England would lose a massive chunk of points.
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Home advantage matters too. The system "handicaps" the home team by treating them as if they are three points better than they actually are. This means a home win is worth less than an away win.
Then there’s the "double points" rule. This only happens during a World Cup. Every match played in that tournament counts for twice as much. This is why you see the women's rugby world rankings go absolutely haywire during World Cup years. One bad game in the group stages can tank a nation’s standing for three years.
What people get wrong about the rankings
A lot of fans think the rankings are a perfect power ranking. They aren't. They’re a historical record of results. A team can be playing the best rugby of their lives but be "stuck" in 7th because they haven't had the chance to play the teams above them yet.
Ireland is a prime example. They spent a long time lower down because they weren't getting consistent fixtures against the "Big Three." Once the WXV started providing those regular high-stakes games, their quality finally reflected in the numbers.
The 2026 Six Nations and the rankings surge
We are heading into a massive window for the Northern Hemisphere. The 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations starts in April. Because the top six teams in Europe play each other in a round-robin, the points volatility is off the charts.
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England vs. France is usually the title decider, but with Scotland and Ireland sitting at career-high rankings, every weekend is a potential ranking trap. If Scotland beats France, the points shift could see them swap places. It’s that tight.
The schedule for the 2026 tournament is a bit different this year. They’ve moved the start date to three weeks after the men’s tournament ends. This is a smart play. It gives the women’s game its own breathing room. More eyeballs mean more pressure. More pressure usually means more upsets.
Key fixtures to watch for ranking shifts
- April 11: France vs. Italy. If Italy wins away, they could vault into the top 8.
- April 18: Scotland vs. England. A huge test for the Scots to see if their 6th place is for real.
- May 17: The "Super Sunday" finale. This is where the most points will likely change hands as fatigued squads face off.
Beyond the top ten: The rising tide
Don't ignore the teams further down. Japan (11th) and Wales (12th) are essentially one win away from breaking back into the top ten. Fiji is also a fascinating case. They’ve moved up to 13th and are playing a style of rugby that is statistically difficult to account for in the rankings because they take so many risks.
Brazil is the one to keep an eye on. They reached an all-time high of 39th last year. While that sounds low, their rate of improvement is faster than almost any other nation in the bottom half of the table. They’re qualifying for major tournaments now, which means they get more "exchange" opportunities.
Why does any of this matter?
Rankings aren't just for bragging rights. They dictate World Cup seeding. If you’re in the top 4, you get a "protected" draw, meaning you won't face another top-4 team until the knockout stages. If you slip to 5th or 6th, you’re looking at a "Group of Death."
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Just look at the 2025 World Cup draws. Being 5th instead of 4th was the difference between an easy path to the quarters and a brutal battle just to survive the opening week.
Actionable steps for the savvy fan
If you want to track the women's rugby world rankings like a pro, stop looking at the names and start looking at the "Rating Gap."
- Look for gaps of less than 2 points. When two teams are within two points of each other, a single win will almost always swap their positions.
- Watch for away wins. Because of the home-weighting, an away win is the fastest way for a mid-tier team like Italy or the USA to climb the ladder.
- Follow the WXV cycles. The WXV 1, 2, and 3 tiers ensure teams play opponents of similar strength, which is where the most consistent (and fair) ranking movements happen.
Keep a close eye on the Six Nations results this April. With England’s lead being so large, the real "world championship" fight in the rankings is currently the battle for second, third, and fourth between Canada, New Zealand, and France.
Monitor the weekly updates on the official World Rugby site every Monday. One "Super Sunday" in May could completely redraw the map for the rest of 2026.