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Published 10:44 25 Feb 2018 GMT
Updated 21:32 25 Feb 2018 GMT
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Ireland face Scotland at home next and a win in that fixture [without a bonus point] would get them another 0.31 points. It would also tee them up for a Grand Slam game against England, in Twickenham, on March 17.
The main motivation for Ireland would, of course, be to secure the championship and Grand Slam in London. Asked about the potential Slam, on Saturday, Ireland captain Rory Best played it sensibly safe:
"We don't look beyond the next game, it's boring and cliched. It's good that we don't do that. It is all about the next game, how we can recover and prepare for it."Defeat England in that final game, though, and Ireland would overtake them to achieve their joint-best ever world ranking of second. A win at England's rugby HQ would give Ireland 1.70 ranking points and see England lose the same amount. Ireland reached second back in August 2015, ahead of the World Cup, but fell back to sixth before they beat New Zealand at Soldier Field, in November 2016.
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