All Blacks Overtake Springboks for World No 1 Spot After Ellis Park Defeat

• The Springboks' long stay at the top of world rugby has come to an end after a dramatic night in Johannesburg
• New Zealand's emphatic victory has produced a major change at the summit of the rankings
• The result has also raised the stakes ahead of the next meeting between the 2 rugby giants

The All Blacks have moved into the No 1 position in the World Rugby rankings after defeating the Springboks 33-16 at Ellis Park on Saturday, 22 August 2026.

South Africa went into the opening Test as the world's top ranked team, a position it had held since September 2025. New Zealand's 17-point victory changed that immediately, with the All Blacks gaining 1.75 ranking points and South Africa losing the same amount.

Planet Rugby reports that New Zealand now sits on 94.03 points, while the Springboks have fallen to 92.21.

Ellis Park Result Changes World Rugby Rankings

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The All Blacks' victory was built around a powerful second half. Will Jordan scored twice, while Josh Moorby, Fabian Holland and Luke Jacobson also crossed.

South Africa managed one try through André Esterhuizen, with Cheslin Kolbe adding the remaining points.

The result ended the Springboks' 12-match winning streak and gave New Zealand the early advantage in the four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.

Full Updated World Rugby Rankings

The latest rankings listed after the Ellis Park result are:

1. New Zealand — 94.03
2. South Africa — 92.21
3. Ireland — 88.08
4. France — 87.43
5. England — 85.68
6. Scotland — 84.78
7. Argentina — 83.13
8. Australia — 82.67
9. Fiji — 78.00
10. Wales — 76.38
11. Italy — 76.30
12. Japan — 75.36
13. Georgia — 73.94
14. USA — 70.22
15. Portugal — 69.39
16. Chile — 66.94
17. Spain — 66.83
18. Uruguay — 65.75
19. Tonga — 65.14
20. Samoa — 64.73

South Africa will have an immediate opportunity to challenge for the top spot again when the sides meet at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 29 August.

Rassie Erasmus' warning adds context to ranking shock

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Briefly News previously reported that Rassie Erasmus had admitted the Springboks were feeling the pressure before the Ellis Park showdown with the All Blacks.

Erasmus said ahead of the Test that he was nervous, while describing New Zealand's approach as fast and intense. He also warned that the All Blacks wanted to move the ball quickly and challenge South Africa around the breakdown.

Those comments now carry added weight after New Zealand produced a decisive second-half performance to beat the Springboks 33-16.

Source: Briefly News