Canada drops to No. 22 in rugby rankings in wake of weekend loss to Russia

Kingsley Jones’s team wraps up its June international schedule Saturday in Halifax against the 15th-ranked U.S. Eagles, who upset a young Scottish touring side 30-29 on the weekend in Houston.

Leader New Zealand and No. 2 Ireland are unchanged at the top of the new rankings. Wales, after its second straight win over Argentina, moved up to No. 3 at the expense of Australia. South Africa climbed two spots to No. 5 after its second consecutive victory over England, which dropped two rungs to No. 6.

Scotland (down one), France, Fiji and Argentina round out the top 10.

Canada, meanwhile, is getting a clearer look at the field of the four-team repechage tournament in November that represents its last chance to qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup

No. 29 Germany defeated 24th-ranked Portugal 16-13 on the weekend in Heidelberg, advancing to a two-match playoff with No. 17 Samoa to see who earns the final berth in Pool A with Ireland, Scotland, Japan and Russia. The playoff series opens June 30 in Apia.

The Germany-Samoa loser joins Canada in the repechage,

The other two repechage teams will be the winner of the Asia/Oceania playoff between No. 21 Hong Kong and the 54th-ranked Cook Islands and the runner-up at the African Gold Cup, whose field features No. 23 Namibia, No. 28 Kenya, No. 37 Uganda, No. 38 Morocco, No. 42 Tunisia and No. 44 Zimbabwe.

The repechage winner qualifies for the World Cup in Pool B with New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Africa 1 (the African Gold Cup winner).

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Canada drops to No. 22 in rugby rankings in wake of weekend loss to Russia

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