Springboks Fans Question World Rugby Rankings As All Blacks Close in
- South Africa remain at the summit, but the latest international rugby standings have sparked debate
- New Zealand have made an important move following their latest Nations Championship victory
- The Springboks' emphatic Italian victory has raised questions about how ranking points are calculated
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Source: Twitter
The Springboks remain the world's number one-ranked rugby team, but their narrow advantage over New Zealand has sparked frustration among South African supporters. Despite beating Italy 66-7 in Turin, Rassie Erasmus' men received no additional ranking points, while the All Blacks gained ground after defeating Scotland.
The latest World Rugby standings, published on Monday, 9 November 2026, show South Africa with 93.09 points and New Zealand with 92.65. The difference is just 0.44 points, despite the Springboks winning three of their four meetings with their traditional rivals this year.
Springboks fans question World Rugby rankings
According to Ruck, several supporters have questioned the small gap between the two leading nations.
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One frustrated supporter, @TheTruth3212, summed up the reaction by writing:
"Makes no sense to me."
Other fans, including @Cilliersv and @_LuizElite, also questioned how New Zealand remained so close despite South Africa's superior head-to-head record.
Why the All Blacks gained ranking points
New Zealand collected 0.38 points after beating Scotland 43-21 at Murrayfield. South Africa, meanwhile, received nothing for their 66-7 victory over Italy.
World Rugby operates a points-exchange system that considers the teams' existing ratings and match results. Beating a significantly lower-ranked opponent can produce little or no reward.
The governing body also removed its home-advantage weighting from 1 July 2026, changing an important part of the calculation.
Full World Rugby rankings on 9 November 2026
Position | Country | Points |
1 | South Africa | 93.09 |
2 | New Zealand | 92.65 |
3 | Ireland | 88.70 |
4 | France | 87.49 |
5 | England | 86.99 |
6 | Scotland | 84.40 |
7 | Australia | 83.12 |
8 | Argentina | 81.62 |
9 | Fiji | 77.79 |
10 | Wales | 77.37 |
11 | Italy | 76.30 |
12 | Japan | 75.25 |
13 | Georgia | 73.94 |
14 | Portugal | 70.52 |
15 | USA | 67.80 |
16 | Spain | 67.73 |
17 | Tonga | 65.87 |
18 | Chile | 65.81 |
19 | Samoa | 65.31 |
20 | Uruguay | 64.86 |
South Africa therefore retain their top position, but New Zealand remain within striking distance. With further November internationals approaching, the battle for the number one ranking is far from settled.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu makes Springbok scoring history
Briefly News also reported that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu reached another major milestone during the Springboks' 66-7 demolition of Italy in Turin on Saturday, 7 November 2026.
The 24-year-old flyhalf scored 26 points to move into the top 10 of South Africa's all-time Test points scorers. Feinberg-Mngomezulu now shares eighth place on the prestigious list, adding another remarkable milestone to his growing international career.
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Source: Briefly News
