World Rugby Women’s Rankings preview: 23-25 May, 2025

World Rugby has published the permutations for the women’s rankings this week in its preview.

World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for this week’s Pacific Four Series 2025, Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship 2025 and Rugby Americas North Women’s Championship 2025 matches.

Permutation highlights:

Canada are guaranteed to finish the Pacific Four Series 2025 in second place in the rankings if they beat Australia in Brisbane on Friday.

This is because New Zealand are unable to improve their rating by beating USA in Auckland as a result of the 16.69-point difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.

However, if Canada fail to win then a victorious New Zealand will not only reclaim the Pacific Four Series title but will replace them in second place behind England.

A Canada loss means that a draw would also be enough to see the Black Ferns climb back to second.

Canada can only gain a maximum of 0.21 rating points for beating Australia, which also means the Wallaroos are safe in sixth whatever happens at Suncorp Stadium.

However, victory will be enough to lift Australia above Ireland into fifth place, equalling the Wallaroos’ highest position since the rankings were introduced in February 2016.

New Zealand must lose by more than 15 points to drop below France into fourth.

However, even a win by that margin is not enough for the Women’s Eagles to improve on ninth place as they would still trail Italy by 0.18 points.

Japan are another side unable to improve their rating with victory over a lower-ranked opponent as beating Hong Kong China to win another Asia Rugby Women’s Championship title comes with no reward for the Sakura Fifteen.

This is because their rating is 10.85 points higher than Hong Kong China’s before home weighting is factored in.

Japan will surrender 11th place to South Africa if they fail to win but cannot fall any lower.

Hong Kong China will climb one or two places in victory, depending on the margin.

If they win by more than 15 points they will not only climb above Fiji but also the Netherlands to equal their highest-ever position of 15th, a place they last occupied in May 2023.

Kazakhstan’s defeat to Hong Kong China on Tuesday means they will slip one place to 19th.

Ten places separate Mexico and Jamaica in the rankings before their Rugby Americas North Women’s Championship 2025 encounter in Ewarton, but victory for the hosts could see that cut to just one if the margin is by more than 15 points.

Jamaica will climb two places to 38th with a smaller margin of victory and condemn Mexico to a three-place drop to 33rd.

However, if Mexico continue their winning start to test rugby (P2, W2) then they will rise four places to a new high of 26th.

VIEW WORLD RUGBY WOMEN’S RANKINGS >>

Match officials:

Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand) referees Australia v Canada for the first time. The Wallaroos have won just one of six tests with Cogger-Orr in the middle, while Canada have been victorious in their last two.

Sara Cox (England) has refereed New Zealand on nine previous occasions but this will be the first time she is in the middle when they face USA. The Black Ferns have won eight of those nine tests, while USA lost their solitary test with Cox as referee.

Christabelle Lim (Singapore) will referee Japan v Hong Kong China in the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship for the second year in a row, having overseen the Sakura Fifteen’s 29-12 win in May 2024.

The rankings preview can be read via the Match Notes page in the Media Zone.