Ireland have returned to the top of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time since October 2023 after South Africa were beaten 29-28 by Argentina in Santiago de Estero on Saturday.
South Africa’s first defeat since they lost to Ireland in July cost the Springboks 1.81 points and their new rating of 91.77 leaves them 0.35 points behind Andy Farrell’s team.
Mannie Libbok had the chance to put the Springboks ahead with a couple of minutes to go but he put what looked like a fairly straightforward penalty attempt wide of the left upright.
New Zealand, meanwhile, keep hold of third place having survived a determined fightback from Australia to win the Bledisloe Cup tie in Sydney, 31-28.
That result combined with Fiji’s resounding 41-17 win over Japan in the final of the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup has cost Australia one place.
The Wallabies drop down to 10th with Fiji up to ninth, while Japan have lost 13th place to Samoa, who beat USA in the Pacific Nations Cup third place play-off.
The only other positional change in the rankings involves a nine-place climb for Austria following their 39-12 win away to Hungary in the Rugby Europe Conference.
Austria move up from 79th to 70th as they swap places with Hungary….PACNEWS