As the Springboks head to Argentina for their next Rugby Championship match, their main goal is clear—win the game and secure the Championship title.
A victory would not only seal the title but also maintain South Africa’s top spot in the world rankings.
However, a loss would throw the competition wide open, with the final game in Nelspruit becoming the decider.
Let’s take a look at what the rankings permutations could mean for the Springboks and other teams as the tournament progresses.
Potential Impact of a Springbok Win
If South Africa manages to defeat Argentina by more than 15 points in Santiago del Estero, they will extend their lead over Ireland at the top of the world rankings by 1.74 rating points.
This would provide the Springboks with a significant cushion, reinforcing their status as the top team in the world.
However, if South Africa suffers its first defeat in this year’s Rugby Championship, they will lose their top ranking to Ireland.
Despite this, they are guaranteed to remain in the second spot, as New Zealand, even with a strong win over Australia, can’t earn enough points to overtake the Springboks.
New Zealand’s Possible Fall
New Zealand has a lot at stake in their Bledisloe Cup clash against Australia.
While they have no chance of overtaking South Africa, they could drop to fourth in the rankings if they lose to Australia.
If the loss is by more than 15 points, New Zealand’s rating would fall to 85.93, marking the lowest point in their ranking history.
For context, when the All Blacks reached their all-time low of fifth place in August 2022, their rating was 86.13 points.
Argentina and Australia’s Ranking Hopes
For Argentina, avoiding defeat against South Africa will see them climb back into sixth place, leapfrogging Scotland.
Meanwhile, Australia can rise to eighth if they avoid a fourth defeat in this year’s Rugby Championship.
Should Australia lose, Fiji could move up if they win the Pacific Nations Cup by a margin of over 15 points against Japan.
Fiji and Japan’s Battle in the Pacific Nations Cup
Victory for Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup final against Japan could improve their ranking.
A win by more than 15 points might see them close the gap on the teams above them.
Even in the event of a heavy defeat, Fiji is safe in 10th place.
Japan, on the other hand, can continue their upward momentum.
If they beat Fiji and Samoa loses to the USA by more than 15 points, Japan could climb to 12th place, overtaking Georgia.
Samoa and USA: A Battle for the Rankings
Samoa is at risk of slipping to 15th if they lose to the USA by a significant margin.
Meanwhile, a solid win for the USA could see them climb two or three places, depending on the margin of victory.
Despite a loss, the USA will remain 19th due to their current buffer over Romania.
Springbok Record Against Argentina
Historically, South Africa has dominated Argentina, winning 32 of their 36 encounters.
The Springboks have scored a total of 1,239 points to Argentina’s 691, with an impressive try count of 145 to Argentina’s 65.
Their largest win came with a 73-13 scoreline, with their biggest winning margin set at 60 points.
Current World Rugby Rankings
- South Africa – 93.58
- Ireland – 92.12
- New Zealand – 88.25
- France – 86.96
- England – 85.40
- Scotland – 82.82
- Argentina – 82.49
- Italy – 79.98
- Australia – 79.78
- Fiji – 78.43
With all the stakes laid out, the next few matches will be critical in determining the final positions in the Rugby Championship and the world rankings.
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