As one other tangible signal of the continued progress made underneath long-standing head coach Bryan Easson and captain Rachel Malcolm, Scotland Girls at the moment are as much as a document excessive of fifth within the World Rugby Girls’s Rankings.
Whereas Scotland’s 59-15 win over Fiji within the first-ever assembly between the groups at Hive Stadium on Saturday didn’t result in a rise of their score, Easson’s crew have moved above Australia courtesy of the Wallaroos’ shock 36-10 defeat by the hands of Eire in Belfast.
Australia conceded extra factors than ever earlier than in dropping to Eire and that has led to their score dropping to 76.28 factors – half some extent fewer than the Scots, who had been exterior of the highest 10 as not too long ago as April 2023.
Scotland’s rise to fifth comes on the eve of WXV 2 title defence in Cape City, the place they may look to select up additional factors within the rankings. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely that they may make critical inroads into the hole between themselves and France in fourth as they’re separated by 10.5 factors.
Final 12 months’s WXV 3 champions Eire are additionally on the up, gaining two locations on the expense of USA and Italy. Eire are nonetheless a way wanting their best-ever place fourth however seventh place is the very best they’ve been since August 2022.
In the meantime, USA drop to eighth and Italy to ninth. Italy’s reward for beating Japan 24-8 in Piacenza was solely 0.09 factors, which wasn’t sufficient for them to consolidate their place.
England stay out in entrance, having preserved their 7.58-point lead over New Zealand with a 24-12 win towards the Black Ferns at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham.