World Rankings: Springbok defeat will open door for new No. 1
The Springboks will lose their top spot in the world rankings this weekend if they lose to Argentina in Durban.
A loss would mean they will surrender the No. 1 position to Ireland.
Although the Springboks aren’t able to improve their rating with a victory over Los Pumas, it is still not possible for a victorious New Zealand to catch them.
The most the All Blacks can gain for winning their Bledisloe Cup encounter with Australia at Eden Park is 0.26 rating points, and they head into the weekend two places and 2.52 points in arrears of the Springboks.
New Zealand will drop below France and England to a record-equalling low of fifth if they are beaten, while a defeat by more than 15 points will see the Wallabies become the higher-ranked of the two sides and put New Zealand at their lowest-ever position of sixth.
Australia has only been ranked above New Zealand for one week since the rankings began in October 2003, following their 22-10 defeat of the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup 2003 semi-finals.
Such a margin of defeat, combined with a win for Argentina in South Africa, would see New Zealand slip a further place to seventh – and outside what will be Band 1 for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw in December.
The most Australia can move up the rankings this weekend is two places to fifth. This would require the Wallabies to win by more than 15 points and Argentina not to match that margin.
Argentina is too far behind England to claim fifth place, even if they win well in Durban.
