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Springboks and All Blacks untouchable in World Rugby Rankings

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Damian Willemse of South Africa celebrates after scoring a try during The Rugby Championship match between New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa Springboks at Sky Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

South Africa and New Zealand’s position at the top of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings is assured regardless of what drama unfolds in the fourth round of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, which begins tonight in Dublin with Ireland up against Wales.

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Third-placed Ireland cannot improve their rating with a win over a Welsh side languishing nine places lower than them in the rankings, so it is up to France to try and eat into the gap between the top two and the chasing pack.

Les Bleus will regain third place off Ireland if they beat Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, with the potential to close the gap on the All Blacks to a single point. To do that, France must win by more than 15 points.

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Scotland will slide two places, back below Australia and Fiji, if they become the fourth team to lose to France this championship, with another place lost if Italy create history with a first-ever victory over England.

A record seventh place is within Italy’s reach, but only if they beat England by more than 15 points and Scotland lose at home to France.

Defeat for England in Rome will result in them dropping below Argentina to sixth. However, if the margin is more than 15 points and is matched by a Scotland win of the same magnitude, England will also slip below their Calcutta Cup rivals.

England can only improve on fifth place if they beat Italy and Ireland lose by more than 15 points at home to Wales, a scenario that lifts them a place to fourth.

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Wales will climb back above Japan into 11th if they avoid defeat in Dublin. They will remain in 12th if they suffer a 15th consecutive Six Nations loss because 13th-placed Georgia can’t improve their rating with a win over Romania this weekend.

Unlike Georgia, the seven other teams participating in the semi-finals weekend can improve their rating, and for Spain, there’s an opportunity to match their previous best rankings position of 14th. To do that, they need to beat Portugal in the other Rugby Europe Championship semi-final.

World Rugby Rankings Top 12:

1 South Africa 93.94
2 New Zealand 90.33
3 Ireland 88.89
4 France 88.40
5 England 85.62
6 Argentina 84.97
7 Scotland 81.71
8 Australia 81.53
9 Fiji 81.14
10 Italy 79.81
11 Japan 74.09
12 Wales 73.62

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Comments

13 Comments
u
unknown 44 days ago

The English, Irish and French have the odd good game or 2. The All Blacks are the team I'm consistently nervous of. Like the Boks the rugby is in their DNA

I
Icefarrow 45 days ago

Always amuses me how many people refuse to learn what the rankings represent: consistent performances. SA and NZ are the two most consistently winning teams at the moment.

u
unknown 45 days ago

We all know NZ is a distant 3rd…..maybe even 4th….

J
JeffDAreff 44 days ago

Not even close….All Blacks are second tier. Italy is better than them….Scotland are better, even Wales have scored 4 tries against them. Ireland dominates them and England….well, they just smoke them 2nd rate Kiwi’s.

R
RC 45 days ago

Ha ha 🫵🤣

D
DP 45 days ago

We all know that France is number 2

M
MM 44 days ago

You were saying DP???

J
JeffDAreff 44 days ago

That’s correct….the All Blacks are and have always been….rubbish and very beatable. France can’t even be bothered to play their number one team against them, they (France) are so much better than lowly All Blacks.

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