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Wales are in line for a spot in the World Rugby rankings top 10 for the first time in over two years without playing a match.
Providing Australia overcome Japan in Osaka on the weekend, Steve Tandy’s side would move up to tenth in the world rankings. That would mark the first time since July 2024 that Wales have been part of the top 10.
Wales have dropped dramatically down the rankings in recent years. Back in 2019, they were briefly top of the rankings after a 14-match unbeaten run.
Having then been ranked seventh in the world ahead of a World Cup quarter-final against Argentina in 2023, an 18-match losing run saw Wales plummet.
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Having fallen out of the top 10 in 2024 following defeat to Australia in Sydney, they have remained there in the two years since.
Last summer, they fell as low as 14th following a loss to Japan in Kitakyushu.
Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms are currently ranked 10th in the world – one place ahead of Wales. Just 0.04 points separate the two sides.
Japan could move up to ninth in the world – however, that would require them to win by more than 15 points against the Wallabies in order to leapfrog Fiji.
Defeat of any kind would see them fall two places, moving Wales and Italy up a spot without even playing a match.
Saturday’s match in Osaka marks new Wallabies coach Les Kiss’s first Test in charge of his country, having taken over from Joe Schmidt.
The former Queensland Reds boss will be hoping conditions aren’t too harsh on his team, with Osaka having been hit with a heatwave this week.
Elsewhere, Argentina host the Springboks. A defeat for the world champions would see them relinquish their number one ranking.
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