Poland welcome the Czech Republic to Warsaw on Sunday for a must-win match if they are to not only keep alive hopes of promotion to the top tier of the European Nations Cup but also remain in the region's Rugby World Cup 2011 qualifying picture.
The Polish side currently lie second in Division 2A, albeit five points behind but with a game in hand over leaders Ukraine after losing their head-to-head 19-12 last month. The Czech Republic are currently fourth, four points adrift of Poland.
The side finishing top will met Lithuania, the winner of the European round three play-off with Netherlands earlier this year, in May for the right to face the third placed side in the top division. The winner of this two-leg affair will then progress to the cross-continental play-off to determine the 20th and final qualifier for RWC 2011 in New Zealand.
Poland are the higher ranked off the two nations at 31st in the IRB World Rankings, although only by four places and 2.22 rating points, and emerged 13-7 winners the last time the sides met back in November.
Another victory will not improve their position, although they could close to within six tenths of Brazil above them with a win by more than 15 points over the Czechs, who would fall between one and three places on the back of a defeat with Netherlands, Paraguay and Lithuania potential beneficiaries.
However if the Czech Republic can leave Warsaw with a victory then they will become the higher ranked of the two sides, climbing two places to 33rd with Poland sliding three in defeat. If the Czechs managed to win by more than 15 points then the two sides would simply swap places.
First win target for Latvia
The three other European Nations Cup matches this weekend are not part of the region's qualifying process for Rugby World Cup 2011, but are nonetheless important with sides looking to move top of their respective divisions or even off the bottom of the standings.
Latvia are yet to record a victory in Division 2B and so are in danger of dropping down a tier unless they can discover the winning formula. This weekend they welcome Croatia to Riga, a side with their own ambitions of victory to leapfrog Netherlands at the top of the table.
Croatia won their previous meeting 21-13 in April and are the higher ranked at 43rd, some 16 places and 5.42 rating points above their hosts. They will climb between one and three places depending on the margin of victory, with Latvia sliding one or two places.
If Latvia can win to lift themselves off the bottom of Division 2B then a minimum of four places and condemn Croatia to a two or three place fall with Sweden, Arabian Gulf and Trinidad & Tobago the prospective beneficiaries of any fall.
The Division 3A encounter sees Switzerland travel to Belgrade to tackle Serbia in the knowledge that victory will lift them off the foot of the standings and preserve their position as the highest ranked of the two nations. They currently sit in 57th, three places and less than seven tenths above Serbia.
Contrasting outcomes for Bulgaria
However Serbia emerged victorious when the sides last met in April - their first ever success over Switzerland. A repeat of that 12-6 victory in Nyon will see them climb above their visitors, potentially as high as 57th with Switzerland sliding four places with a loss by more than 15 points.
A victory on the road for Switzerland would seem them climb two or three places and condemn their hosts to a slide of four or five places with Hungary, Cayman Islands, Senegal, Colombia and Guyana the potential beneficiaries of any Serbian loss.
Bulgaria, meanwhile, will welcome Luxembourg to Pernik knowing that victory will take them above Israel to the top of Division 3C. Bulgaria, who won last November's encounter 18-10, currently sit 10 places and just over three points above their visitors in the IRB World Rankings.
A fifth victory in seven outings against Luxembourg will see Bulgaria climb to a new high of 82nd, regardless of the winning margin. Luxembourg currently have more than a four-point cushion over Finland, the bottom side in the IRB World Rankings, so even an emphatic loss will not alter their position.
While Bulgaria could climb to a new high, they also have plenty to lose with defeat on home soil guaranteed to send them into freefall with a minimum fall of nine places. A loss by more than 15 points and they would take over Luxembourg's 94th spot with their visitors climbing four places to 90th.
The IRB World Rankings update every Monday at 12:00 UK time.
