After a brief break in the Rugby Championship, all eyes will be on the Springboks and All Blacks as they prepare for an epic encounter at Eden Park this Saturday, which could led to a significant shake-up to the rankings.
As it stands, after the latest results, New Zealand’s lead at the top has shrunk to just 0.71 after they recently suffered a surprise loss to Argentina, and there is little doubt that the arch-rivals are currently the two best teams in the world.
If the Springboks can pick up a historic win over New Zealand at Eden Park, they would shoot straight back to No 1.
However, if South Africa suffer another defeat at the All Blacks’ fortress, they would slip to third once again.
It all adds another element of intrigue to what already promises to be another fascinating encounter in Auckland. Kick off is at 09:05 (SA time).
UPDATED RUGBY WORLD RANKINGS AS SPRINGBOKS PREPARE FOR A RETURN TO ACTION
| 1 | New Zealand | 90.72 | (-1.79) | |
| 2 | (↑1) | South Africa | 90.01 | (+0.23) |
| 3 | (↓1) | Ireland | 89.83 | |
| 4 | France | 87.82 | ||
| 5 | England | 87.64 | ||
| 6 | Australia | 84.85 | (-0.23) | |
| 7 | Argentina | 83.40 | (+1.79) | |
| 8 | Scotland | 81.57 | ||
| 9 | Fiji | 80.50 | ||
| 10 | Italy | 77.77 |
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE LATEST STANDINGS?
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