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World Rugby confirm Wales rankings disaster after defeat to Italy

World Rugby confirm Wales rankings disaster after defeat to Italy

Yahoo08-02-2025

Wales' defeat in Italy has condemned them to a new record low in the World Rugby rankings
It has been confirmed Warren Gatland's side have now dropped below Georgia to 12th. The slump, which would have been unthinkable not so long ago, comes at a time when many are calling for the Rugby Europe Championship favourites to be given the chance to stake a claim for a Six Nations place.
Even Wales legend Sam Warburton believes a Six Nations relegation match should be held between the bottom nation and the winners of the second tier competition, which has been dominated by the Georgians for years. You can read about that here.
READ MORE: Wales player ratings as Warren Gatland gets selection wrong but Faletau still has it
READ MORE: Wales are clueless as Gatland's experiment fails and leaves him on the brink
After the game against Italy in Rome today which saw Wales lose 22-15, they have slumped further down the rankings. You can see how the game unfolded here. Dan Biggar and Jamie Roberts described the performance in Italy as one of the team's poorest performances in recent memory.
Jamie Roberts said that we "cannot accept this is the level we should be playing at". Shane Williams, who was reporting on the game for ITV, said that the "gameplan was totally wrong!"
Following the first weekend of the 2025 Six Nations, Wales were already in 11th - the country's worst ever ranking. They have now lost 14 consecutive matches over the past 15 months or so.
Georgia beat the Netherlands 40-7 in the latest round of the Rugby Europe Men's Championship 2025 on Saturday, meaning they now move above Wales.

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