To cap a marvellous weekend for USA when both the Americas Rugby Championship and HSBC USA Sevens were won, the men’s Eagles have soared to 15th place in the World Rugby Rankings.

Having completed the Americas Rugby Championship ‘Grand Slam’ with a record 61-19 win over Uruguay on Saturday, the US Eagles have risen to 15th place in the World Rugby Rankings for the first time since the early stages of Rugby World Cup 2015.

Their fifth straight victory in the continent's marquee competition was worth a fraction under two rating points and boosts their overall tally to 69.23. As a result, they leapfrog Samoa, Romania and their beaten opponents Uruguay. The Eagles are now two points off Italy in 14th place, their best-ever position.

What a weekend for @usarugby!



Americas Rugby Championship winners



HSBC USA Sevens winners pic.twitter.com/juz4HyCDH7 — World Rugby (@WorldRugby) March 5, 2018

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Meanwhile, Rugby Europe Championship leaders Georgia are unchanged in 12th place as their 23-10 win over Spain in Tbilisi did not come with any rankings reward, due to the large points differential between the sides.

Defending champions Romania find themselves dropping down a place to 17th despite beating Russia 25-15 in a crucial RWC 2019 qualifier, as the prize for the victory – 0.17 of a point – was not enough to prevent them being overtaken by the USA.

Also enjoying a three-place rise over the weekend were a rampant Belgium. The Black Devils beat Germany 69-15 in the Rugby Europe Championship to pick up 1.22 rating points and climb above Chile, Germany and Brazil into 25th place.

Lowlands neighbours the Netherlands were also in top form as they posted a record 71-30 win at home to Poland in the Rugby Europe Trophy. It lifted the Dutch up two places to 27th, after gaining six-tenths of a point. Poland hang on to 34th place.

Chile's 33-17 defeat at home to Canada in the Americas Rugby Championship extended their winless run in the competition to 13 matches and cost them 1.26 rating points, to send them down to 28th. Germany are one place above them in 27th after a fall of three places.

Brazil were also beaten in the Americas Rugby Championship, 28-8 by Argentina XV in Sao Jose dos Campos, but they remain on 55.91 points as the game did not count towards the rankings. Nevertheless, they profit from Chile and Germany's demise to move up one place to 26th.