World Rankings: How Boks can reclaim No.1 spot
SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks have an opportunity to reclaim the No.1 World Ranking, but a few blocks must fall in place for that to happen.
Following their shock 22-38 defeat to Australia at Ellis Park last weekend, the Boks dropped from first place to third behind Ireland and the new top-ranked team, New Zealand, losing a mammoth three ranking points.
World Rugby has published the ranking permutations for matches in The Rugby Championship, Pacific Nations Cup 2025 Sudaméricano this weekend.
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South Africa, for the first time this year, can gain rating points in victory, which could see them secure an immediate return to the number one ranking.
For this to happen, the Springboks must first avenge their defeat by Australia and then hope that New Zealand lose by more than 15 points against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
If this happens, South Africa and New Zealand will simply swap places, but if not, a win is still enough to lift the Springboks above Ireland into second place.
Alternatively, if the outcomes and margins from last weekend are repeated, the All Blacks will open up a 2.99 rating point advantage over Ireland at the top of the rankings.
A second defeat by more than 15 points will result in the Springboks crashing from first to sixth in the space of a fortnight. This is one shy of their lowest-ever position of seventh, which they last occupied in 2018.
France and Australia would be the beneficiaries of this drop, climbing to third and fourth, respectively, with fourth the Wallabies’ best position for nearly four years.
A smaller margin of victory for Australia will not result in any positional changes.
Any form of defeat for Argentina will see them swap places with Scotland and drop down to eighth.
Los Pumas can’t climb the rankings this weekend, even with a first victory over New Zealand in Argentina.
However, an Argentina win by more than 15 points will, if accompanied by a draw between South Africa and Australia, see Ireland back on top of the rankings for the first time since November.
The Pacific Nations Cup gets underway on Friday with all four teams in action seeking a victory to set their bid to qualify for World Cup 2027 off to the perfect start.
It is not possible for the USA or Samoa – the higher-ranked team in each fixture – to gain enough points with away victories to climb the rankings.
However, Samoa will drop below Japan if beaten by Tonga in Nuku’alofa, with the ‘Ikale Tahi’s reward being one or two places depending on the margin or three if the USA also lose to Canada.
Canada, the only team in the competition ranked outside the top 20 in 25th place, will gain one or two places depending on the margin.
The Men’s Eagles could fall to 19th – one shy of their all-time low – if they lose by more than 15 points in Calgary.
The weekend’s other match is also part of the RWC 2027 qualification process, with Uruguay hosting Paraguay in the second leg of their Sudaméricano 2025 semifinal.
Los Teros are unable to improve their rating with a second victory due to the 19.17-point differential between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
However, Paraguay will gain at least three places if they can upset Los Teros.
