A 37-7 win at home to Austria has lifted Denmark to the top of Rugby Europe's Conference 2 North table as well as improving their World Rugby Ranking by one position.
The Danes now have a two-point cushion over their nearest rivals Latvia, who have a game in hand, making next weekend's match between the teams crucial in deciding the destiny of the title.
Five different players got their names on the scoresheet in Copenhagen and full-back Cassius Deschamps kicked 10 points in a bonus-point win that was worth just over eight-tenths of a rating point. Denmark now find themselves above St Vincent and the Grenadines in the rankings in 78th place. Papua New Guinea, Serbia and China all profit from Austria's three-place fall to 87th.
In the only other match to count towards the rankings, Pakistan beat Uzbekistan 44-13 in the Asia Rugby Championship Division III Central fixture in Lahore. Victory came with a reward of 1.13 rating points and a three-place rise to 90th. Uzbekistan drop five places to 95th.
Meanwhile, Guadeloupe beat Guyana 19-5 in the Rugby Americas North Championship and will now play Bermuda in the competition's final. The match did not carry rating points as Guadeloupe are not members of World Rugby.
Photo: Daniel Storch