South Africa head into the upcoming Nations Championship as the world’s top-ranked rugby side, according to the latest World Rugby rankings.
Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks sit on 93.94 points, holding a 3.61-point lead over second-placed New Zealand, as they prepare to face England, Scotland and Wales in the July Test window.
Ireland remain the highest-ranked Northern Hemisphere team in third place, despite France’s Six Nations success earlier this year. Les Bleus sit fourth, just ahead of Argentina, while England are in sixth position following a mixed campaign.
Scotland occupy seventh, narrowly behind England, with Australia, Fiji and Italy completing the top 10.
Further down the table, Wales remain in 11th place and will be aiming to close the gap on Italy during their summer fixtures. Japan and Georgia follow in 12th and 13th respectively.
Ahead of the Nations Championship, World Rugby has also confirmed a change to its rankings system, removing the “home weighting” factor. The update will come into effect from July 1, 2026.
The rankings highlight a clear gap between the top four nations and the rest of the field, with South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland and France pulling away as the leading powers in international rugby.